All is Fair in Love and War
by SteamPunkSnowWhite
Summary: Between losing and reclaiming Erebor, what became of Thorin? He worked hard to rebuild for his people, did his best to be a good king and… Married? Who would have thought slaying a dragon would be easier than being married to an elf? Is their marriage worth the hardships that must be endured? Is she worth all of the gold within Erebor?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

An Unexpected Meeting.

The heat of fire rose in the air, the sound of iron and steel being molded into weapons was echoing loudly upon the streets of the small city. There were many fine craftsmen, but most of them designed fabrics or molded pottery. Having known nothing of war, the small city did not feel the need for many blacksmiths, well, none that specialized in weapons. The breeze was warm and dry that hot summer day but the people who dwell there were no less chipper. The people walking around were wearing as little clothes as possible while still being descent in public. The men wore thin tunics, tied loosely, with short sleeves. The women wore light colored dresses, laced enough to be proper, but not an inch more than that, not if they did not have to. Very few women were dressed in elegant dresses of the finest, lightest silks in the brightest of colors. They all had their long hair tied up and braided, cascading down over their shoulder or down their backs. These few elegantly dressed women were the daughters of the cities ruler, Lord Elovere. The city was full of life and wealth because of his rule. The people prospered, each living in a lovely, white-stone tower of a home. Each house seemed to look like a castle, all built together in large clumps. There were three young women specifically; each dressed in the brightest of colors, even on the hottest of days. They always felt that as the royal children, they had to represent their father's good reputation when out and about. All three of them could not stand to sit still for very long. Most days, they wandered around the streets of the city, occasionally purchasing small trinkets or bites to eat. Always over paying and refusing change, part of the reason why money was not a problem for a single person living in this place.

Vera was the eldest of the women in appearance, nearly one hundred in the years of men. The look of age was starting to show on her cheeks and at the corners of her eyes. She and her family were Dúnedain, blessed with long life and great wisdom. Her appearance was that of a mortal woman about thirty. She was lovely despite the lines of age, with a smile that could make even the most bitter of men smile along with her. She was tall and shapely, not twig-like or malnourished. She was also not excessively plump. Her breasts were full beneath her thin gown, but appearing soft within her fabrics. She wore a ruby gown with golden embellishments on the sleeves and around the collar, in flowing shapes of flowers and vines. The raven braid which was her hair had been tossed over her right shoulder, hanging down just passed her breasts. She led her two younger sisters by about a yard. She always walked ahead of her sisters. As the eldest daughter, she felt that it was her responsibility to set a good example and make sure that her father's name remained untainted.

Tranora was blood sister to Vera, about five years younger. She looked nothing like her elegantly poised older sister. She was shorter and slightly rounder. She did not stand up straight. Her slouching made her look even shorter than she already was. She was wearing a lovely yellow dress which was embellished with emeralds and small pearls from the northern shores, looking like waves. She had cheeks similar to that of a chipmunk who had just found a lovely stash of buried acorns, but was still rosy and full of life. She had long, dark, chocolate hair that looked like a melted waterfall down her back. She was far too stubborn to tie her hair back as she very well knew she should. Even when it was not hot out, she would not tie her hair up. She cared nothing about how her appearance would effect her fathers reputation. She was very chipper and polite; the townsfolk loved her for being nothing but herself. With each breeze that was strong enough to move her hair, the large sweat mark on the back of her dress was very plainly visible.

The eldest of the lovely daughters was not blood, taken in by Lord Elovere when she resembled but a young girl. That was almost twenty years ago now and she was now just barely developing into a lovely young woman. She was an elf, but only her father and sisters were aware of that. People never saw her face, hidden behind a veil which her father requested she always wear when she is outside. She was slightly taller than her sister Vera and her skin was much paler. She was almost ten years older than Vera, but looked fifteen or more years younger than her dear sister. She wore a plain, white gown, like the rest of the women who lived in her fair city. Unlike her kin, she did not like to show her status or act it. Frequently, her father had to scold and punish her for stealing family gold or jewels to distribute around to the less fortunate of people within the city. No one was really impoverished or poor, but she liked to help out in any way that she could. She could not help but to try and share the wealth that she felt her father figure hoarded. Her face was the only one covered by a silver veil, to hide her true beauty. Her hair was braided down her back looking like shimmering silver rope. Her pointed ears were well hidden behind hair at all times. She was told that a long time ago, elves had betrayed the ruler of this land and left the people to starve and suffer during one of the coldest winters anyone could remember. Being an elf in such a land was a disgrace, or at least, that was what she was raised to believe. She was the only elf who lived in this land and not a single person knew of her heritage, or at least, as far as the royal family was aware. As they walked through the streets, she could not help but to spend a coin here and there to buy small toys and treats for children who she saw playing in the streets. They all loved her and made sure to thank her politely and give her hugs of appreciation. She frequently got them mugs that they could fill with water this time of year. She did not want to see a child get the heat sickness, not if she could prevent it.

That's when they passed the black smith. Oh, how miserable that job that must be. When the air tastes of heat and you spend all day next to a fire despite the air around you. She was never one who enjoyed heat. She would rather the spring or fall, where the light was plentiful and the weather was bearable. She looked over and could not help but to stare, her green eyes seeming to glow through her silver veil. Never before had she seen a dwarf within their city walls. The dwarves lived in the far north and far south of this city, they very rarely traveled. She wondered how old he was and laughed quietly to herself. What a silly question to ask. Dwarves were so unknown and unfamiliar to her and she could not help but to be curious about him. He had long, dark brown hair that was just beginning to have a strand or two of gray in it. His hair was dripping with sweat and sticking to the sides of his face where his glossy skin showed through his hair. Dwarves aged so much differently than the humans that she surrounded herself with. She thought he must be between sixty or seventy years old but she could not really know without asking him. How do you ask a dwarf's age without seeming offensive or insulting? He was so focused on his work, swinging his hammer repeatedly against the hot, metal sword he was so skillfully creating. He must have been hired by the blacksmith after his last helper was injured. She knew that his last hand was injured in a rather bad incident with their kiln. She herself had helped in healing his wounds. She hardly knew what to do. The ceramic furnace had exploded and covered the boy with deep wounds and lacerations. She was the only one powerful enough with any form of magic for miles around, not that anyone knew why she could heal. She felt she did not do as well as she could have, but she did her best to help the young lad none the less. She thought frequently of traveling to either Mirkwood or Rivendell to get medical training from the elves. After all, he was only a child, and no child deserved to suffer such a painful and agonizing fate. All of this time, lost in thought, she had been staring at the dwarf man.

"Anira, are you coming?" Vera called back. Anira took a sharp breath as she turned to face her siblings, thankful that the veil hid her shame from them. She felt so silly that she was staring at someone in such a rude manner, even if it was not on purpose.

"I will catch up with you two." She called with a tender smile, though they could not see it. Her voice was sweet and each word was lyrical. She always got looks from all of those around her when she spoke. She usually chose not to speak just because of this reaction. She noticed that all of the men within ear shot were staring at her, including the dwarf that she had been staring at. She always felt so out of place when anyone placed their attention on her. Her sisters each had several suitors, because they liked to speak to the men and accept their affections. Anira was not that way, not in the very least. She did not want any suitors. She knew that she would long out live all of them and did not want to give up her immortality for some petty, hundred year romance.

"Father will be furious if you are home late again, Anira!" Tranora laughed gently as she grabbed her older sister's arm and pulled her back towards the tall castle. Tranora, quiet as she was, was not stupid in the least. She knew that their father had a soft spot for Anira. There was one time, she distinctly remembered, when her sister was a young girl. She had decided to travel a few miles with gypsies in a caravan. Father had yelled at her for almost a day straight, until his voice had run from him and he could no longer speak.

"I will deal with father when I arrive home." Anira called back with a cheerful tone. She knew she was louder now because even more men were staring. She looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back towards the shop. The dwarf man had completely stopped what he was doing now. He stared at her, as if knowing that she was here for him. He made her nervous and she loved it. She had never felt so uncomfortably excited for any man before. She smiled nervously behind her veil as she quickly walked off of the street and into the small shop. It was shaded, but at least twenty degrees warmer due to the fire and kiln. She loved the smell of heated metal, though she did not know how to craft anything with it.

"I apologize. I did not mean to make such a scene in the street. I also did not mean to stare at you. I just have not seen many dwarf men around our humble city-"

"You were staring at me? It's impossible to tell anything you're doing behind that veil of yours." The dwarf interrupted her with a rather bitter tone. He then lifted a large hand as if to lift her veil, but he could not reach her face. She smiled behind her veil as she knelt down, not minding that she was going to dirty her silken gown with the soot and ash that lay upon the once white stones. He looked surprised that she would kneel before him so willingly. She was surprised too, seeing as she did not like to be touched or be close to men. She could not help it; she was completely infatuated with the small dwarf man. He gently lifted her veil, leaving large, black finger prints on the thin fabric that once covered her face.

"An elf?" He whispered quietly, growing instantly distasteful as he took a step back from her, turning away with a grim look upon his face. He turned away and grabbed the handle of the sword that he was making.

"I am sorry that my race displeases you." She said hurriedly as she stared at him. He made her so nervous and she did not know why it bothered her so much. It also bothered her that she apologized for her race when she knew that she did not need to. She quickly stood and tried to clean her dress with her hands, which resulted in her smearing the stains and rubbing them deeper into the fabric.

"My kind was allowed to suffer while the elves did nothing." He said angrily as he looked back at her. "Why should I think you are any different than they?!" He screamed at her. He was trembling in anger as he stared at her, as if to demand an answer from her.

"I am... I am sorry that my kind as wronged you." She whined nervously, unaware of what a proper response would be to his harsh statements. She had never seen such instant hate and distaste just because of someone's race, it broke her heart.

"I was going to bring in a request that I would have paid handsomely for, but I can take my business somewhere-"

"Now now, m'dear lass!" A large, round, thick bearded man said as he came from behind the shop. "Do not mind this lad here; he has gone through a lot. He does not know how to show respect to our royal clan. Please, I will give you a discount on your job-"

"No, no, Markus, no." Anira said quietly as she smiled. "I do not mind his temper or even his dislike of me. I've seen how you work and how those beneath you work. Never before have I seen anyone with the skill that this dwarf so surely possesses." She said quickly, trembling nervously and swallowing as she thought about what she said. She kept her eyes focused on Markus, not noticing that the dwarf was staring at her as she stayed in the warm shot, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face.

"Thorin." The dwarf said sternly, still not looking at her, seeming even more displeased now that his master of employment was defending the she-elf. "My name is Thorin, not dwarf."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Thorin. I apologize that I offended you." Anira said quietly as she walked closer to him. She pushed Markus away and gave him a hard look that clearly told him to get away. "What I am about to show Thorin, you may not see as well. It is very precious to me and my family. It is meant for only the most secretive of eyes." She said sternly. Markus did not wait to be told twice. He turned and went back inside of his home without another word or a protest.

"Your people here seem to love you." Thorin said with a bitter laugh as he turned to look up at her, smiling, as if he had won some sort of game.

"What makes you think that, Thorin?" She asked with a small smile.

"The fact that there are about five children waiting outside of this shop for you to leave." Thorin said, nodding towards the doorway. Anira turned around and laughed, lifting a hand to wave at the children. They all seemed so surprised, turning and quickly running out of sight.

"Most of them do... Men flock to wed my sisters because they know that I may not wed until they do first, it is tradition. I am going to be a well sought after woman once they both decide to take husbands." Anira said quietly. "May I have you as a friend, Thorin?" She said with a tender smile. He looked at her inquisitively, obviously confused as to her sudden, strange request.

"Why would you want me as a friend?" Thorin asked bitterly, laughing to himself and not bothering to be quiet in the least. He was still holding the handle of the sword he was forging, and he was twisting it every so often. It was as if the motion of the sword was the only thing keeping his attention from her as she spoke.

"It would be nice to have at least one man I could talk to without the fear of him getting on one knee and asking for my hand, or constantly trying to get his hands up my dress and cause me to corrupt my purity before my wedding night." Anira said with a tender smile. She could see the amusement on his face, though she knew he would never admit it.

"I may not like you, elf, but I cannot promise I will not attempt that second statement." Thorin said, but his mood seemed lighter now. He was still hard looking and frightening, covered in ashes and stains of smoke in his sweat. He was trying to tease her, she could tell. He was doing a poor job, but she appreciated his efforts none the less. He raised his eyes to look at her finally. He could not help but be completely engulfed in her beauty. If she were a dwarven woman, he would have his hands up her skirts already, and likely, much more than that.

"Thank you, I will be sure to keep that in mind." She said softly before she reached down the front of her shirt and pulled out a small, pearlescent silk bag. He swallowed hard as she stuck her hand down the fabric, wishing that it was his own hand instead. She opened it, untying the knot in the silver string before pulling out a long, silver necklace that held a silver pendant.

"This belonged to my mother..." She whispered quietly. "At least, that's what I was told..." She finished nervously. "A... A silver strand broke, right here, on the left side." She said, pointing to the small break in the weaving band around the glowing white stone. "No one but yourself and now Markus knows that I am an elf other than my kin, and obviously that is of very recent." She explained quietly. "I'm sure there would be a riot if they found out. Every man would be trying to win my affections ten times over if they knew what I was..." She said with a sad look entering her emerald eyes.

"Why does it bother you so badly to be wanted by men?" Thorin asked sternly.

"It does not bother me to be wanted; it bothers me why they want me. They see me as an object. I'm a beautiful face that they've never seen and always desired. They could care less about me. All they know is that I have the hips to birth strong children and survive the pregnancies." She explained sadly, wiping a tear from her eyes, her hands trembling. "I do not want to be a bride just so that I may become a slave to the will of the man who becomes my husband. I want to be loved and I want to be able to love him for as long as we both shall remain together." She finished before freezing as she stared at him. She had never told so many of her fears to a stranger, let alone secrets that effected her emotions so deeply. She shook her head and stood upright. "I must go now, Thorin." She said bitterly as she stood and turned away from him.

"You do not speak of your fears, I assume." Thorin said as he grabbed her arm. His touch was gentle, yet firm, enough to stop her, but not enough to hurt her. "I will not tell anyone. I will do my best to repair your necklace, but you must do me one simple favor." He said quietly, releasing her arm.

"What favor would that be, Thorin?" Anira asked with a small, sad laugh. She felt his rough fingers leave her skin. She closed her eyes and tried not to let it bother her.

"You need to stop crying, for me." He said quietly as he lowered her veil back upon her face. "You are too lovely to stain your face with such sadness."

"Are you sure you aren't going to try to seek my hand in marriage just like the rest of the men in this fair city, Thorin?" She said with a tender smile as she leaned closer to him.

"I am no longer sure of what I can and cannot promise you other that I will fix your necklace." He said, standing her up with strong hands before starting to heat his fire. It was like she had never stepped into his shop the way he seemed to completely forget she was there. She loved it, that he was able to just forget her existence the way he did. Not many men in this city were capable of such control.

She took that as a sign to leave before she caused any more trouble for him. She quickly adjusted her veil and her hair to make sure that her face and ears were completely hidden. She knew it was only a matter of time now until everyone knew that she was an elf. They were going to treat her differently and she was determined to make sure they all remembered who she really was and the kindness she had always shown them. She did not want some new found, unrealistic level of respect just because she was proclaimed to be wise. She was not raised by elves or anywhere near the elves. She felt that had she had no wisdom, not compared to other elves.

She quickly turned down the street, walking swiftly, her heels clicking against the stones. The sun was setting, the white stones glowing orange as the sun lowered over the horizon. She picked up her skirt slightly so that she could run, her flat shoes slapping against the stones as she ran up the steps towards her father's castle that she called home. She pushed open the large oak doors and quickly shut them behind herself, though she did not mean to make them slam as they did. She smiled and took a deep breath. It was cooler inside of her home, but she had hardly noticed the heat after standing in the blacksmiths shop for so long.

"Anira, you are late." A man's voice called, echoing down the long, stone hall. She could hear his footsteps as he walked towards her. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment before sighing as she turned around, lifting her veil and smiling brightly at her father.

Krystoff Elovere was a slightly older man. He wore plain, maroon robes with golden trim along the sleeves. He did not leave his home unless he had to, but he always dressed formally. He was nearing one hundred and fifty years of age, but do to the Dúnedain blood, he looked only as if were nearing his late forties. He once had dark red hair which was now mostly gray and white, along with his well trimmed beard. He was just slightly taller than Anira and built like an ox. He had broad shoulders and a strong chest. He looked like he had been a strong warrior back in the prime of his life. Now, he was more than perfectly content to be the father of his girls and the ruler of this land. He only made sure laws were enforced, but he otherwise remained a distant ruler.

"What on earth has my child home so late and...?" He stopped, laughing for a moment. "Covered in ashes and sweat stains?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He already knew where she had been and was hoping that perhaps she finally found a suitor that fit her standards, even if he did not approve of those standards. Both Vera and Tranora had already found gentlemen that they would gladly wed, should he only give the word. He was a smart man, knowing that the only reason the other men courted his other daughters was to get closer to his Anira. Once Anira had chosen a man, he would give his blessings only to see who truly cared for his daughters and who did not. He did not want to give up Anira, not for anything. He wished so deeply that he could be immortal, so that he could marry her and be with her for the rest of time.

"I had to ask a favor of Markus. He's got a new hand helping him, one with skill that I've never seen before. I gave him my mother's necklace to fix." She said with a tender smile. "You know how my heart has wept ever since that object was broken all those years ago."

"I remember the day it happened. I had to hold you while you cried for three days straight. I thought you may never stop." He said with a tender smile as he cupped her cheek in a cool hand. She could feel the cool metal of his rings against her soft skin.

"It looks as though he decided to wipe a tear away from your face. He must hate seeing you cry just as much as I do." Krystoff laughed gently before taking his handkerchief out of his shirt pocket, licking it and then wiping the dirt off of her pale face. "There's my lovely girl. Are you going to see him again?"

"I need to pay him and get my necklace back from him, don't I?" She said with a tender smile, brushing a lock of hair back from her face nervously. She removed her veil and untied her hair, running her fingers through it slowly. Her hair was long and lovely, though her father made her hide it most of the time.

"That you do. Vera and Tranora are having their suitors over for dinner tomorrow evening; I think that you should invite your new male friend, if for no other reason than for you to not be alone when you speak together." Krystoff said with a smile before turning away from her. "Supper is waiting for you in the dining room, if you are hungry. I'm going to turn in for the night. Try not to make too much noise if you sneak out again tonight. I heard you break the branch of our old pine tree when you snuck out last week."

Anira stared at him nervously as he walked away from her. He was so confident in the way that he moved. She listened to his heels clicking against the marble floors until he turned down the farthest hallway and she could hear him no longer. She relaxed finally and leaned back against the door. He was never so agreeable, did he see her talking to her strange friend earlier, or did Vera or Tranora tell him something about the dwarf? Either way, it was of no matter now. She stood up straight and turned to the left, walking up the spiral staircase to her tower bedroom. Their house was more like a fortress than anything else. The walls were made of thick layers of stones, covered in large paintings and tapestries that were elegantly embroidered and decorated. Her stairs were made of black marble, which she requested. Her door was just a hatch in the ceiling that she pushed open. She crawled into her room, closing the hatch and locking it. She laid back against her cool, wooden floor and closed her eyes. Her room looked so unlike the rest of the castle. She had everything as plain as humanly possible. She did not want to be royalty. She longed for a simpler life, perhaps that's why she was so drawn to that dwarf, working in the heat.

She sat up nervously and rubbed her eyes. She slowly forced herself to stand up, untying her dress quickly. She removed it, standing only in a thin, white shirt and tight white bloomers. She sighed and pushed open her glass door, a strong burst of cool wind blowing in and going through her long hair. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the cool breeze against her skin, giving her goose bumps. She removed her shoes with a small wince, rubbing her feet. She wasn't used to standing outside so much, especially not with shoes on. She would have to get out more often to prevent her feet from hurting, should she choose to travel in her future. She was waiting for the sun to disappear past the horizon and the moon to rise, it was taking much longer than it normally would, or at least, that was how it felt.

She sighed and decided not to watch the hypothetical water boil, turning back into her room and sitting down at her vanity mirror. The mirror was cracked and stuck together with tree sap. She hated being so much prettier than the other girls, she knew it made her stick out in a bad way. She had broken her mirror in a fit of rage one day, still having the scars on her hand from the day she did it. She grabbed her silver handled brush and began to run it through her hair slowly, humming songs softly to herself. Songs of love and romance always made her feel better; perhaps it was because she had never felt love for another person other than her kin. No man was ever able to win her heart, no matter what sweet words he said or what wonderful gifts he gave.

She sighed softly before she heard something hit her balcony with a small 'clunk' noise. She turned around and saw nothing but her pale curtains, glowing by the light of the moon, wafting in the breeze. She shook her head and decided that it was nothing. As she turned back to her mirror, she heard the sound again. It was if rocks were being thrown up from the ground at her bedroom. She stood up and walked to the balcony. She found two, small rocks at her feet. She knelt down and picked them up. They were wet and slightly mossy as if taken from the bed of a river.

"What on earth is going on?" She whispered to herself quickly, rubbing the rocks with her thumb. That's when she felt a sharp pain on the top of her head for a brief second before she heard the clink of the rock hitting the balcony. She whined loudly and placed her hand atop her head. She pulled her hand away to look if there was blood, there was not, but it still hurt. She stood up and walked over to the edge of the balcony, throwing the rocks back down at the ground.

"Stop throwing things at me! That hit me in the head!" She cried loudly, trembling with anger as she looked through the trees, hoping that the moon would light things up enough for her to see the culprit behind these rocks. She searched the edge of the forest frantically, looking for any shadow of a figure to move, but saw none. The wind blowing through the trees mixed with her own anxiety made it harder for her to hear anything going on below.

"I am sorry." She heard a voice right next to her ear, low and deep. She cried out loudly in fright as she looked over to where she heard the voice. There was Thorin, smiling at her, his silver hairs shimmering in the moon light. "I had just stopped by to-"

"Are you mad?" She cried out loudly as she grabbed him by the collar of his blue shirt and pulled him over her balcony railing and into her room. He stumbled behind her slightly but knew better than to protest against her. She shut the door behind herself and pulling the curtains to block out the moonlight and any other person who may be watching. She knew that there were almost always men in the woods around her bedroom, wishing to serenade her if she went out onto her balcony. She hardly used the balcony anymore for that very reason. She liked to keep to herself as much as possible. All of this extra attention was going to do absolute wonders for her reputation on top of being found out as an elf.

"I didn't mean to-" Thorin started. She turned and covered his mouth quickly with her hand, giving him a sharp glare.

"Do not speak, Thorin." She hissed angrily as she pushed him to sit on her bed. She hurried across the room and grabbed a robe, which she wrapped around herself tightly. She couldn't believe that she had let him see her so completely exposed for so long. Her face grew hot with shame as she realized that if other suitors had been out, lurking in the woods... They would have seen her in her undergarments too. She was just listening, waiting for her father to come up her stairs and knock at her hidden door, she knew that he would. He had the ears of a fox, especially when it came to her well being. He did not let any man get near her without his knowing about it.

"Anira, sweet heart, I heard you scream, are you alright?" Krystoff called from below her stairs, only taking a step or two up, waiting for her response.

"I'm alright, papa!" She called nervously. "A bird hit my window and I thought it may be dead, it's alright. I was just startled, that's all." She said, trembling, in a complete panic as she stared at Thorin who sat on her bed, smiling smugly as he watched her lie to the lord of the city. She knew that her father would know she was lying. The real question is if he was going to investigate what she was lying about, or just let her have this one. Her heart felt as though it might pound right through her chest at any moment. Looking at Thorin, she wondered how he could remain so calm in such a situation.

"Alright, my little dove. Try to get some sleep and don't forget to ask your black smith suitor to dinner tomorrow night! I would absolutely love to meet a man who's captured your interest so quickly." He called before stepping back down the stairs and down the hall. He knew that she was lying and he knew who was in her bedroom with her. Anira knew he was aware of everything and that's why he extended his invitation so bluntly. He wanted Thorin to hear that she was interested. Damn him.

Anira winced as he spoke, turning away from Thorin as she sat down at her mirror again, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and did her best to relax, when she heard Thorin start speaking again. She wondered how hard it would be to shut him up. Would a normal gag work, just a small piece of cloth tied around the mouth? She found her mind wandering to what his lips may feel like, but was quickly brought back to reality when she heard his voice.

"Your black smith suitor, huh? I did not realize our conversation today meant so much to you." He said with a hearty laugh, but trying to stay quiet for the sake of not alerting her father a second time. He was amused by her discomfort. It was almost a sense of pride for him. Every elf he had ever known had always thought they were the most noble of creatures, but now, there was this lovely girl who had no idea what to do. She was no more than a mortal woman to him and he liked that about her.

"Our conversation did not mean that much to me, Thorin." Anira said tenderly, her eyes still closed. "He saw the ashes on my face and dress when I came home today. He assumed I was talking to Markus, but I told him it was you. He threw the rest of it out of proportion himself." She said calmly before lowering her head. How much of it was really thrown out of proportion, she wondered. She did harbor feelings for this dwarf man and she had only just met him today. She could tell that he was strong and stubborn, but could show gentle nature and kindness when need be. Oh, how foolish she felt for thinking these thoughts about a near stranger!

"Do not judge your feelings for me so quickly, Anira..." He said quietly, right against her ear again. His breath was hot against her skin and it made her tremble, though she tried to keep it hidden from him. She had not even heard him leave her bed or walk over to her. It took special care for dwarves to be unheard, especially by elves.

When she opened her eyes, his hand was open, palm up below her gaze. In his palm was the small pouch, glowing from inside. Her eyes went wide as she sat up straight again, unable to take her eyes off of the faint glow for what seemed like forever before she turned and looked at him. His face was so close to hers, she could feel his warmth and smell the smoke in his hair and beard. It was obvious that he had taken some care before coming to see her this evening. His hair was brushed, beard was trimmed and his face was clean. She smiled and raised a gentle hand to cup his cheek beneath his beard. She loved to look at him, completely mesmerized by his Sapphire eyes.

"My my, is this what you look like when you are clean?" Anira said tenderly, stroking his soft skin with her slender fingers. "I think I like you better covered in ashes." She teased tenderly, a smile crossing her lips. He smiled too, looking at her flawless face. She smelled like a flower, but he could not place which type. Working in the smoke and mines for so long, he had all but forgotten what the smell of flowers was like.

"You noticed that, huh?" He said with a small laugh again. "Please... Open it. I want to know if it meets your standards. I did the best I could; I do hope it is good enough." He whispered quietly. He was anxious to know what she thought, tapping a large finger against her vanity as he waited. He had never tried to fix something so small and intricate before. It was absolutely nothing like forging a weapon and he felt as though it was completely out of his crafting ability.

Anira nodded and took the small pouch from his hand and untied the string. She drew the necklace out by the thin cord and smiled. It looked as though it had never been broken. She laid it in the palm of her other hand and it began to glow even brighter, but she knew not why.

"Thorin." She said, hardly able to speak as she continued to stare at the lovely pendant in her hand. "I don't know what to say. It is absolutely beautiful! I knew I made a good decision in trusting you to fix it. Dwarves are the most skilled craftsmen that I have ever heard of. How much do I owe you for payment?" She asked with a tender smile as she set the necklace down on her dresser and grabbed her satchel of coins. He placed a large hand on hers to stop her. Hard and large, his hands made hers look like she was no more than a child beside him. She looked at him nervously. A dwarf that did not want gold? What black magic was involved here?

"I did not come here because I wished payment from you, Anira." Thorin said quietly as he looked at her. His face was glowing a pale blue because of her necklace, which continued to glow brightly between them. It grew brighter and brighter the closer they got, but neither of them seemed to notice.

"Why did you come here, Thorin, if not for payment?" She asked very tenderly as she pulled her hand back from her gold. She grabbed her necklace from the dresser and quickly put it over her head and around her neck, tucking it down into her shirt. It continued to glow, but at least now it was not blinding to look at.

"I wanted to see the look on your face when you saw it in one piece again." He said, raising a hand to gently cup her cheek. "And ask if maybe I could have... Just...One..." He whispered slowly as he leaned closer to her and closed his eyes. Anira trembled as he leaned towards her. She knew what he wanted from her and she wanted it too. How could she ever forgive herself if she let her defenses fall so quickly for a man she just met?

Anira gasped and turned away from him, closing her eyes as she felt his lips against her skin, along with the gentle prickle of his beard. It pained her not to turn and kiss him back, but she knew that she could not. Where would it end if she started down that road now? She did not expect a man she just met to marry her after one day of knowing her. She did not want to be used and thrown away like a cheap floozy. He pulled back and let out a small sigh, turning away from her slightly.

"Thorin..." She whispered sadly as she turned to look up at him. She shook her head and cupped his face tenderly before he could turn away from her further. "Why are you doing this to me?" She asked gently.

"Why am I doing what to you?" Thorin asked quietly. He did not want to look at her, not after she proved how elf she really was. He could have sworn she liked him, but for her to shoot him down so coldly when all he wanted was a harmless kiss…she was just like the rest.

"I don't trust that you feel so strongly for me after just one meeting, Thorin." She said tenderly, trying as well as she could to comfort him. "You hated me upon first seeing me, simply because I am an elf. What did I do that changed your mind so quickly? I did not undo the damage done to you. I did not apologize for my race, only claimed that I am not they who have hurt you. You started being nice to me..." She said with a sad laugh. "When you saw my face..." She said before she stood up and looked down at him, releasing his face.

Thorin did not say a word to her, but averted his gaze from her. He knew that the words she spoke were true, but he could not help the way she had affected him. He hated elves, he would always hate elves, but she was not like the rest of them. She did not talk down to him or try to question him about his arrival in this city.

"What can I do to prove myself to you, Anira?" He asked quietly as he looked up at her, gripping her hands in his, squeezing gently as he looked into her eyes. "I will do anything you ask of me to prove that I want you for who you are, not what you look like. You spoke of your fears earlier today. I will not make you an object; I do not want to turn you into anything less than what you are."

"Answer me one question, Thorin, and if you answer correctly. I will be yours without a single argument. I will love and cherish you for all time..." She said tenderly.

"What is your question, Anira?" He asked quietly, turning to look at her.

"What am I to you, other than beautiful, Thorin?" Anira asked with a sad smile.

There was silence then, for a long time. There was not a stir in the entire castle it seemed. He took a deep breath before he finally turned away from her and stepped towards her door to her balcony. He opened the doors and closed his eyes when the breeze hit him. She loved how he looked in the moon light, his hair blowing in the breeze.

"I am sorry that I did not have an answer for you." He said quietly as he lifted himself over her balcony railing and gripped the vines that climbed the stone walls of her home.

"Thorin, wait for just a moment." She said quickly as she hurried to follow him, leaning over the balcony to speak to him. "Just because you did not have an answer to my question today, does not mean that you will always have silence. When you can think of what I am to you, I will let you kiss me as much as you want." She said, biting her lower lip tenderly. "Anywhere you want." She added nervously, biting her lower lip.

Thorin stared at her and went to grab a vine that was not there and nearly fell down the side of her wall. She reached down and caught him by his shirt, smiling as he regained his grip on the vines.

"Are you coming?" Anira called down after him, leaning as far over the balcony as she could without falling.

"Am I... What?" Thorin called back up to her, while still trying to keep his voice down.

"To dinner tomorrow night. Didn't you hear my father's invite?"

"I didn't figure you would want me there."

"I will not deny that you are a suitor, Thorin, but I'm nowhere near giving you my heart. Not yet. My father's approval would be a good way to start." She said sweetly.

"Then yes... I will come tomorrow." He laughed as he finally reached the ground and disappeared into the trees, looking over his shoulder at her two separate times before she was out of his view.

"So... That's the man who's caught my daughters long sought after affections. I did not expect a dwarf. Not in the least. Especially not Thorin Oakenshield." Krystoff said quietly to himself as he watched out the window as the dwarf walked off. He knew his daughter well enough to know that she was lying to him when he questioned her earlier. Why on earth would the dwarf risk his wrath to visit her in the dead of night, especially with no ring in sight?

"Dinner tomorrow night shall be interesting, to say the very least." He laughed to himself quietly as he turned away from the window and took a sip of brandy from his glass, swallowing hard before setting his glass down on his wooden table.

"Father, would you really allow Anira to wed a commoner. He's less than just a commoner, he's a dwarf!" Vera cried quietly. She had been denied several times to wed a commoner. Krystoff always said they were not good enough for her and that he would not have his daughters marrying low-life, scum.

"Vera. You are my daughter by blood. I can tell you what I want, when I want. I want you to marry well. No matter what happens to Anira, she will be well. No matter who she marries, she will leave this city and I have known that since the day I took her into this home. Who better to help her travel, than a dwarf who has no home?" He said with a small smile, though it was a sad smile.

"That is a cruel thing to say, Father." Vera hissed angrily.

"Enough, Vera!" Krystoff snapped back angrily as he glared at his eldest daughter. "Go to bed now, tomorrow is going to be a long day for us all." He said sternly. Vera continued to glare at him but turned and walked towards her bedroom without another word. She was so furious with the way her father handled himself. She knew what truly lurked in his heart. He had taken Anira in as a child because he wished her to one day be his bride. Both of his real daughters knew this. He wanted the queen to be the loveliest in all of the land by no comparison. He wanted to make her see how foolish her affections for the dwarf were so that he could show what a prize husband he would make.

"I'm not going to let father hurt her..." Vera decided to herself as she entered her room and slammed the door behind her. She walked to her large, heavy, wooden dresser and opened her top drawer. She pushed through her clothes frantically for a few moments before she found a small, leather bound book. She held it tightly in her hands and took a deep breath.

"Father may disown me for this..." She whispered quietly to herself before she grabbed a thick, black cloak and wrapped it around herself. She covered her hair and her face, making sure that no one would recognize her in the darkness as she opened her window and crawled out, walking down the street quickly, towards Markus' shop.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The darker side of Man.

It was simply amazing how hot the city was during the day and how bitter cold it was once the sun set. There were very few people walking about, with torches in hand. They were all scouts, making sure that the city was safe during the hours of the night. Their scouts were no more than a few young men, armed with small swords and maybe a bow with some arrows. They had known nothing but peace all of their lives. Most of the time, the scouts only helped to break up arguments or disputes with people in the city over prices and goods.

She walked quickly through the street, trying to make as little noise as possible. Her cloak made her almost invisible in the darkness and she pray she could make it to the blacksmith and back without being seen. Her father would have an absolute fit if he realized that she was the one who snuck out this time. She was supposed to set a better example for her sisters. Her life was so much harder than she deemed fair, but she could not argue that with her father.

"Excuse me, stop!" A males voice called from behind her. She almost screamed as she turned around, being caught by surprise by the scout walking towards her.

He had long, brown hair that was tied back and tucked within his gray vest. His tunic was black with a white lace up the front. He was so much younger than herself, looking to be not even twenty years of age.

"Have I done something wrong?" Vera called tenderly as she pulled back her hood and smiled at him. Startled, he just stared at her for a few moments before bowing his head to show his respect.

"I do apologize, Miss Vera. I did not expect to see you wandering about so late at night. Where are you off to at such an hour? Do you require an escort, I could be of some service to you if you do." He said with a tender smile, standing up straight as he looked at her.

"That would be very lovely, lad. What is your name?" Vera asked tenderly as she offered a hand to him politely.

"Traven." The young lad said with a bright smile as he took her hand and tenderly kissed her knuckles, in the most polite manner possible. "Where are you off to?" He asked tenderly.

"I was off to see the blacksmith... More specifically, his knew worker. The dwarf. Do you know of who I speak?" She asked hopefully. "I know not where to find him, especially not at this hour."

"Ah, Thorin!" Traven said with a bright smile, obviously excited that he was going to be able to help the eldest princess. "Yes, I know exactly where you can find the dwarf. He does not have a home here and not enough money to really rent a room from anyone here. He is staying in the shed behind the smithing shop for now." Traven explained tenderly. It pained him to think of someone living in such conditions, but the dwarf had never uttered a complaint. He always seemed just more than happy to just have a roof over his head.

"He... He can not live in such a way!" Vera protested loudly as she shook her head. "Dearest Traven, please, take me to him. I would like to remain safe and as unseen as possible. There would be terrible rumors if people saw me visiting the man courting Anira in the dead of night."

"I do understand, my lady. Put your hood back on and we will take the shadows." He said with an excited smile. Vera did as he asked, lifting her hood over her head, darkening her face before the began to walk again.

Traven did know his way through the city. His movements were completely silent and he moved as if he were one of the shadows. She followed him as best she could, trying not to slow him down while still staying as silent as she possibly could. She tripped a few times, over cracks in the walkways and small rocks that matched the shadows. She always managed to catch herself without making much of a fuss. She found herself patting her pouch almost religiously every few moments to make sure that the leather bound book was still in her possession. If anyone else were to see the contents of this book, if it got into the wrong hands, Anira would be forever shamed and forced to leave this small city.

"Here we are, my lady." Traven said tenderly as he stepped aside, raising an arm to point towards the small shed that had glowing lights inside. The building was small, no more than a box. Peeling, rotting, haphazardly put together wooden planks were the walls and roof. Cracks of light shown through the breaks and holes.

"Surely you must be mistaken. This can not be a home for anyone..." Vera said sadly as she shook her head and stared at the sad looking little building.

"I assure you that I am not mistaken. This is the home which you sought." He assured her tenderly, trying to keep his voice down. He thought she was speaking too loudly. They were going to be found, but he did not know how to politely tell her that she needed to keep her voice down.

"Thank you for your services, Traven." Vera said quietly as she took a few gold coins from her satchel and placed them within his hands. He looked at her and was going to protest when she placed her finger against his lips, smiling tenderly. He nodded silently as he turned and walked towards the shack.

It smelled of cooking meat and a comforting warmth radiated from inside. She knocked on the crooked door that look as though it may shatter into pieces. Three times she rapped her knuckles against the wood before standing back and waiting for a response. She could hear movement from within, but there was no voice of response.

"I do apologize for intruding at such a late hour." Vera called softly, trying not to be too loud. The city was asleep and she was desperate not to alert anyone of her wandering about the city, especially not any of her suitors. She did not want them to get the wrong idea about what kind of woman she was.

"One moment." An angry voice called from within. There was the sound of movement again. Ceramic dishes clinking together and fabrics being picked up and tossed to the side.

That's when the dwarf emerged. He opened the door hastily and looked as though he was about to shout profanities when he looked up at her, taken back by who was standing at his door. He was wearing just his blue tunic now, which was hardly laced up the front. She could see the hair on his bare chest that was just starting to gray.

"Can I help you?" He asked as he looked up at her. What on earth was a princess doing at the door of his home this time of night.

"I must speak with you, Thorin." She said with a tender voice, lifting her hood back from her face, just enough to show her dull, blue eyes in the dim light. "It is about Anira..."

"Come in." Thorin said quickly as he stepped aside. Vera stepped passed him in silence and heard the door close behind herself. She unclasped her cloak and let it fall to the ground before she turned back to face him, her face looked as though she had seen a ghost.

"Thorin." Vera said as she walked to him, taking his large hands in hers and leading him towards the center of the shack. She sat down on a small stool and looked up at him. "There are things about Anira's past that I must tell you. Things that she herself, does not know and would never understand... If anyone were to find out about her, she would be forced to leave this place. She needs to leave, but not because of banishment." She said quickly, keeping her voice as quiet as possible. He did not pull his hands from her, but did give her a look of distrust as she spoke.

"Why tell me, then? Why tell a stranger whose been here no longer than a week and that you have not known of for more than a single day." He snapped bitterly.

"Because, her mother left this within my keeping. Even father has not seen this. He would kill me if he knew I had it..." Vera said quietly, biting her lower lip as she pulled her hands away from him. She looked down and pulled the book out of her bag. It had a thick, red, leather cover, with a bronze lock. There were some elvish letters on the front cover. She placed it in his hands and looked up at him again.

"Most of it is not written in elvish, and those parts that were, I had translated by travelers who had gone through Rivendell some years ago." She explained hurriedly before she stood up. He looked puzzled as he ran his large fingers over the elegant letters, a look of distaste upon his face.

"Why are you giving this to me?" He asked quietly, looking at her for a moment before focusing his attention back onto the book within his grasp.

"Because, you are the one who is going to save her from an eternity of hell." Vera snapped angrily as she stood. Thorin stared at her, unable to believe that she just spoke to him in such a manner.

"You are Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror!" She cried out angrily, trembling as she looked at him. "You are the rightful king under the mountain, are you not?" She asked quietly.

"How do you know such things?" Thorin growled angrily as he stepped closer to her. She did not cower or step back from him. She stood her ground and stared down at him, her eyes holding an intensity he did not understand.

"I know, because it is said in that book in your hands. I urge you to read it before coming to the castle for dinner tomorrow evening." Vera said sternly before she sat down again and looked up at him. "Her mother was an elf maid from the far north. Her name was Valessfaeniel." She started, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before she continued to speak. "She was captured by cruel men. She was traveling from the land of snow, to find a better life for herself within the keep of the Woodland Elves or the Elves of Rivendell." She explained. "The men... Did terrible, unthinkable things to her. Things that would make the strongest of men feel aches in their hearts. She escaped and made it to Mirkwood, where Thranduil took her in with open arms. He healed her wounds, both on her body and in her mind, but he could not fix everything. One of the men... Had left her with child." She said sadly.

"Anira..." Thorin whispered, staring at Vera with wide eyes. He held a deep hate for elves, but he could not imagine torturing any soul in the ways he knew were written in the book he held.

"Yes. Yes exactly." Vera said quietly as she looked up at him, tears swelling in her own eyes. "Thranduil... Loved the elf maid who fell within his grasp. He did not wish to raise her child, though he tried. He kept her long enough to see if she was going to age as a mortal or as an elf. The magic was deep within her soul and she aged as an elf. He was not going to keep the child. He saw her as a badge of shame upon his marriage to Valessfaeniel. He sent her away, here... Where our father took her in and did his best to raise her as one of his own. We all know this to be lies." She said, her tone growing instantly bitter and resentful as she spoke of her father.

"He took Anira in because he wanted his rule to last an eternity in this land. He is going to bring up every dark part of your history, Thorin Oakenshield. He is going to speak of the greed and sickness of the mind that Thror had, and then Thrain. He is going to say anything he can to make her hate you, hate everything about you. He is threatened by you, even after only one day of you knowing his daughter. He knows you are the only one who could steal her heart away from him, as Valessfaeniel wrote in her journal." She said quietly. "Our father is going to trick her into marrying him... And then he is going to put her through the same tortures that men forced upon her mother all of those years ago."

"He's going to make her give him an heir... An heir that would never die of illness or old age..." Thorin said quietly, shaking his head as he took a step back from her. He started pacing then, holding the book tightly. He thought of these things for himself. If he had her... He could have an heir that would never die of old age or illness. Perhaps, the child would even be strong enough not to succumb to the sickness of the mind.

"Precisely... This is why you must win her heart, Thorin." Vera explained desperately before she stood up. She grabbed her cloak from the dusty floor and threw it over her shoulder, clasping it around her neck with a smile as she looked back at him. "Read it if you-"

"No... I do not need to read it. You have told me all I need to hear. I do desire your sister, Vera. I desired her from the moment I first saw her, though I do hate elves and what they have done to my people... But I do not want her to suffer the way you describe her mother suffering. No being should be put through so much torture in their life, so much shame..." He whispered. He walked to her and placed the book back into her hands. "I will not let your father make a fool of me. I will make sure she hears none of his cruel statements about me." He said sternly as he looked up at her.

"You need to make me one promise, Thorin." Vera said tenderly as she cupped his face and made him look up at her.

"What promise is that, my lady?"

"I need you to promise me... That you will kill him..."

"Kill who?"

"Lord Elovere..." She said with a sad laugh. "I fear that I will not live passed this night. He will kill me as soon as he can find a way to make it look as though it's an accident. He is aware that I am not at home, and he has eyes everywhere... He will see me dead for telling you all of these things. I need you to keep this book." She said, handing the elvish book back to him with stern hands. "He will surely find it if it is within my keeping."

"Why have you come here if you knew that this would be your demise? Does your sister mean so much to you?"

"I'm already dying, Thorin. I have been ill with an illness without a cure since I was just a child. I am surprised that I am still alive. My life will be ended by the power of nature before my next birthday... Why not give my life for a cause worthier than my own? I would rather her live an immortal life... With you and your happy children." She said with a sad laugh, shaking her head before turning away from him.

"I promise you... I will kill him, first chance that I get. He will not harm a hair on her head." Thorin said deeply, looking up at her. The look in his eye was of determination and honesty.

"Thank you, Thorin. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night." Vera said tenderly before she covered her face with her hood again. She opened his door and slid quietly into the night, without a sound.

Thorin sat down on his broken down cot and breathed deeply for just a few moments. He looked at the red book for a long time. He wondered of the horrors that lay beneath the elegant cover, what darkness was hidden within its pages. He reached over and grabbed the book, tracing his fingers over the elvish letters on the cover for a few moments before grabbing a small piece of metal, and skillfully picking the lock. As he lifted the cover back, he could feel the magic within hit him like a hammer. He took a gasp, catching his breath as he looked at the first page. His heart sank as he read the first page in the book.

Thorin,

You do not know me, and will not ever meet me.

My name is Valessfaeniel. Anira is my child, brought to me by

nothing but grief, but I do love her and my heart weeps as I write

this story for you. I know what problems your family has faced

with the sickness of the mind, caused by gold. Anira will heal all

of your wounds, even your mind will be cleansed after a time with

my daughter. She is strong and will make you strong, keeping you

up strong when you feel your lowest.

The stories I have written for you will make you wish to

pity my child, but you must not. She knows nothing about her

past, I have made sure of it. She remembers nothing before she

entered the care of Lord Elovere. I know that he will harm her,

just as I was harmed, if you can not win her heart from her. You

must try, for not only your sake, but for hers as well. She will make

a wonderful wife and mother.

Thorin stared at the page, his hands trembling as he read. How much did this elvish woman know? Was she still alive? He would never admit it, but he was afraid to read the rest of this story, but he knew that he must.

He willed himself to turn the page and begin reading. He lost all knowledge of time then. He felt almost as if he was within the pages he was reading. Her words were so descriptive, he could see as she saw and feel as she had to have felt. He could see the stains of blood and tears upon the pages, smudging her words every so often.

That's when he reached it, the part of her story he had loathed to read. He shook with a rage he could not contain. The way she described the men tearing at her flesh, ripping her skin open with their blades, scaring her flawless skin for fun. He could not imagine why any creature would inflict so much unbearable anguish onto a being who had done them no wrong.

He threw it then, screaming in his own anguish as he heard the book crash against the wall of the shack, falling onto his table, breaking one of the dusty glasses he kept there. He looked up, blinking back tears from his blue eyes and took a deep breath. He could never get the images out of his mind. He assumed it was part of the magic within the book, forever scarring him with scenes that would break even the hardest of men down. That was when he realized the sun had long since risen. He groaned in anger as he stood and put on his pants, tucking his shirt in, though he knew it would never stay that way. He slipped his shoes on and tied them tightly around his calves before he ran out of his home and headed towards Markus' shop. He arrived and quickly started the fires within the forges, doing his best to make up for lost time.

"You are late today, Lad." Markus laughed heartedly as he walked over to Thorin, patting him on the back in a friendly manner.

"I had some troubles at home, I will stay later today to make up for-"

"Are you alright, lad? You look as though you have seen a ghost... Did you sleep last night?" Markus asked gently as he took a closer look at the dwarf. Thorin turned away slightly and brushed his hair back from his face before looking up at the man.

"I did not sleep last night, I could not." He said vaguely, not wishing to explain why.

"You do not need to stay late, lad. It's no bother to me, we do not have much to do today. How about once your forges are hot, you head on home to get some shut eye. I will pay you for the day none the less."

"That is very kind of you, Markus, but I can not accept such charity."

"But you must. How else are you going to provide for a woman brought up in such a high class family?" Markus laughed. "I saw how she looked at you while she was here yesterday, Thorin." He said with a bright, toothy smile. "I am glad that the lass finally found a man worth her affection. She's always looked so lonely, nothing more than a stone figure behind a shimmering veil."

"Thorin!" The light, lovely voice of Anira called as she hurried down the streets, her dress within her hands so that she would not trip over it. Thorin looked over at her and quickly left the shop. He smiled, unable to contain himself. She looked so vibrant and full of life today, so unlike the figure made of stone he had seen the day before. She wore a dress that was a light, pearescent pink, with silver thread weaving celtic knots around her sleeves. She stopped as she reached him, smiling down at him. She was wearing her necklace, which glowed brightly between her breasts, beneath her dress. It took him a moment, but he realized that she did not wear a veil now, and her ears were showing through her hair.

"Anira, I was not expecting you to stop by today." Thorin said with a smile. It was strange for him to smile. He never noticed just how rarely his emotions of pleasure showed on his face. Without her, happiness was so distant to him. Just having her near him was enough to change his mood entirely.

"I have done some thinking, Thorin." Anira said quietly as she stood before him, releasing her dress so that it would cover her ankles. "I was being selfish and foolish last night... I do not know what I expected from you after only one meeting. I should have understood that I am nothing but a lovely face to you... I do not care." She said with a smile as she dropped to her knees slowly, in the middle of the street. She smiled, cupping his face with cool, tender hands. He was already hot and sweating, but she did not mind. She actually found him rather attractive, shimmering with sweat.

"As have I, Anira." Thorin said tenderly before he took her hands within his, kissing her knuckles, one by one. This gentle affection made her tremble, a heat rising to her cheeks as she looked up at him, smiling nervously.

"Have you, Thorin...?" She asked timidly, enjoying the tickle of his beard against her tender skin.

"You asked me last night, 'what else?'. I have thought about it now. You have a radiant glow of kindness that surrounds you where ever you go. Your presence is enough to heal even the most wounded of hearts, even my own. Looking at you right now makes my own heart race within my chest. I would lay my life down for you, to keep you safe for the rest of your immortal life. I would defy my own death to stay by your side. You are one of the lights within our world now and nothing should ever take that away from us." He said with a deep voice, speaking loud enough that he knew others would hear him.

"Thorin..." Anira said breathlessly, not sure of how to respond to him. "Do you really feel this way about me..?"

"I do. These people that surround you prove my words. Not a single person dislikes you for any reason, not even I. The king under the mountain who hates all elves... Can not help but to love you as all these others do."

"You love me?" She asked while staring up at him with wide, green eyes.

"I do not know for sure that is what I am feeling, because I have never felt this way before, about anyone." He said quietly as he tucked a strand of silver hair back behind her ear before tenderly cupping her face. "But I beg you to give me a chance to find out."

"Thorin..." Anira whispered, smiling. "All you have to do is ask... and I am yours..." She whispered, leaning closer to him. He slid his hand beneath her hair, cupping the back of her head as he pulled her closer. He leaned down and could almost feel her lips against his own when a booming voice was heard over everything.

"Anira!" The voice of Krystoff rang over the noise of the market around them. Anira gasped and stood up, pulling away from Thorin and looking down at her shoes in shame. How on earth did her father guess her intentions so accurately? She did not expect him to introduce himself to Thorin for at least a few more hours. He must have been waiting for her to leave home, leading him straight to her new friend.

"Good afternoon, Lord Elovere." Thorin said, politely as possible, gritting his teeth. The hardest part of the story he had read, was reading what was going to happen to Anira if he was unable to rescue her. She would live a life of torment and shame, never again seeing the light of day after her marriage to Krystoff. He would lock her beneath his castle for the rest of her immortal life, making her nothing more than a worthless slave. He could not stand that happening to her.

"So, you are the man that this whole city seems to be talking about." Krystoff laughed tenderly as he walked closer, offering a hand to Thorin. The dwarf looked at him skeptically before shaking the mans hand, hard. His own hand made the man's look like a child.

"I do not believe that the whole city is speaking of me."

"But they are, Thorin." The king said with a bitter smile. "Talking about how Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, has crept into my city and stolen the only thing of any value here, the heart of my Anira." He said, looking over at his daughter. "That is the only reason you want it, is it not? Her heart is nothing more to you than the largest, most valuable jewel to you, is it not? Just another prize to add to your hoards of gold."

"Her heart is the largest prize I have ever seen, but I do not want it so that I may keep it locked away from the light of day. I wish to cherish, and protect it for as long as I shall live."

"Which will be hundreds of thousands years less than she."

"Unless she gives her heart to me."

"What was that?" Krystoff asked, his tone surprised, and a little bit frightened as he stared down at the dwarf.

"Elves, should they love outside of their own race, get to decide how long they would like to live. They can give up their immortality in order to live one lifetime, with the one that they love most in this world." Thorin explained with a smile. This was knowledge that he had gained from Valessfaeniel's journal. He never would have guessed that elves loved outside of their race, or that they were selfless enough to give up an eternity of life for love. He did not know if he would be able to do it, give up immortality.

"Though..." Thorin said, looking over at Anira. "I would never ask such a thing of your daughter. I do not wish her life to end when mine does, it would be cruel and unfair."

"It would be more cruel." Anira said quietly. "To be allowed to love you for only one hundred years... And then have you ripped away from me for the rest of my life. I would rather die beside you than-"

"Enough! Anira, do you hear yourself?" Krystoff snapped angrily as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to his side. "I have not blessed this union, nor has he offered you a ring! Are you also forgetting that neither of your sister are married and that you may not marry as long as they do not!" He screamed at her, holding her by both of her shoulders now, shaking her. She was trembling and starting to cry, refusing to look at him.

"Let go of her!" Thorin shouted loudly as he took a step forward and shoved Krystoff away from Anira.

"How dare you defy me, dwarf!" The king shouted as he drew his sword from its sheath, aiming it at the dwarf's heart.

"Father, stop it!" Anira shouted angrily, standing between her father and Thorin.

"Step aside, right now, Anira." He hissed coldly. She could feel Thorin's hands on her waist, trying to move her aside. He did not want her to be harmed because of his own foolish ways.

"Never." Anira said angrily, tears stinging her eyes as she glared at her father. "You will not harm him!"

"What makes you think that your defiance will stop me?"

"Because I am the only reason that you treat anyone kindly!" She screamed. "I am the reason you run this kingdom as well as you do! These people love me and you wish they would love you the same way. You want me as your queen, not because you love me or care about me, but you desire the power I have and the strength of the children you wish to give me. I will give you nothing you ask for! You are willing to lock me away and make sure that I hate you, so that myself and your bastard children will live for eternity!"

"How dare you speak to me in such a way!" Krystoff shouted, the sword trembling within his hands as he watched her.

"I will never give you an heir." She hissed bitterly before she spat at him. He growled in anger as he wiped the saliva off of his cheek, his hands shaking with anger as he glared at her.

"You will not harm her!" A mans voice shouted from behind the king. When Krystoff turned around, he realized that almost every able bodied man was surrounding him, holding every means of weapon. From axes, to swords, to shovels and pitch forks, each man had a weapon he was ready to use on the king who had finally revealed his darkness to the entire realm he controlled.

"What is this?" Krystoff asked angrily. From within the crowd of men, Vera emerged.

"Father..." She said sternly. "All of these years... You have poisoned my mind and my body. Convinced me I was ill and dying, when in fact, you were the one who was killing me. It took me so much longer to realize it than I would like to admit. You will poison our minds no longer. I have taken a husband, within the secrecy of night." She said with a bright smile. "He will inherit your throne, whether you willingly give it up or not. Anira will not be your bride, not in this life time." She said sternly.

"So, all of you are against me, after all of the kindness I have shown you, after all of the prosperity! You're all willing to face me, for what? To save the life of one, lonely, pathetic dwarf who has found himself lost within my walls?" He laughed angrily. His laugh ended abruptly as he felt the blade pierce his back. He choked for a moment before blood began to ooze from the right corner of his mouth and down his chin. He turned his head, seeing Anira standing behind him, tears streaming down her lovely face, anger burning within her eyes.

"He is not just a dwarf... He is a king..." Anira shouted angrily as she twisted the sword within him. He cried out in agony as he felt the blade cut through his insides. He quickly turned around, wielding his own sword, he swung blindly. The blade that Anira had used, was quietly handed to her by Markus, who was able to get next to Anira while Vera had distracted Krystoff with her speech of anger.

Krystoff caught Anira across her right arm with his sword before he dropped to his knees. Thorin stepped forward and balled his large hand into a fist, catching the side of Krystoff's head. The sound of flesh against flesh and the cracking of bone was loudly heard before the once ruler dropped to the ground, motionless, lifeless. Anira whined in pain, covering her wound with her hand, the blood staining her lovely dress.

"Anira." Vera called softly as she walked towards her sister. She smiled and cupped the elf maid's face, kissing her forehead very tenderly. "I give you... All the blessings in the world and wish you nothing but love and happiness for as long as you choose to give your heart to Thorin, Son of Thrain... That is, should you still choose to give it to him."

Anira smiled, a tear sliding down her cheek before she nodded. She pulled away from her sisters grasp and looked back at Thorin, unable to stop smiling.

"I do chose him... Above all others... I choose Thorin." She whispered tenderly before she walked back over to him, wincing as she held her arm. She knelt down again and looked up at him. He was still trembling with anger, his eyes focused on the body of the dead king. She grabbed his face tenderly, forcing him to look at her. His face instantly grew soft and showed remorse. He could smell blood on her, but he was unable to see the blood on her arm. Her wound was quickly healing without any help at all.

"I did not... I did not mean to..." He said quietly. She silenced him, placing a finger against his lips, smiling as she looked at him.

"We all knew of the darkness that lurked within his heart, but none of us had the reason or strength to defy him. Those who have tried have always ended up dead." Anira explained tenderly. "The strength you carry with you made the rest of us strong." She said tenderly.

"Anira, will you be my bride? I know it has only been one day since we have met, but I feel that you are the one I am supposed to be with." Thorin whispered quietly as he placed his hands on her shoulders, smiling at her as best he could.

"I... Thorin..." Anira whispered quietly as she leaned forward and locked her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing her back with just as much longing and desire as she held for him. He had not realized how long he had denied himself. It had been so long since he had felt the warmth of a woman beneath his touch.

They were not allowed to enjoy their moment for long before the crowd around them began to cheer and shout with excitement. Anira gasped and stood up, straightening out her dress and wiping the saliva from her lips. The people of the city had already removed Krystoff's body and were now dumping buckets of water on the tone walkway to rinse away the blood.

Vera walked through the crowds of people again and smiled down at her sister.

"My dearest girl. You have free'd us all from the horrible greed and selfishness of our father. We owe you our lives." She said with a tender smile. "But now, you have a different journey ahead of you. I want you to go to your room and pack your bag. I believe it is time for you and Thorin to travel from this place and start a new life. Would you not agree, Thorin?" She asked, turning her attention to the dwarf who stood beside her sister.

"I do believe you are right." Thorin said with a small smile, raising a hand and smacking her playfully on the behind. She gasped and cried out slightly, reaching back to grab his hand and hold it away from herself, looking over at him with a playful glare.

"Go and pack your things, my dearest sister. I'm going to gather what I need for your wedding present before you leave us." Vera said quietly before she turned and walked passed her sister.

"Vera!" Anira called softly as she turned to look back at her sister, still holding Thorin's hand tightly within her own.

"Yes, sister?"

"Who did you take as a husband?"

"Ah, I was wondering when you would ask me." She laughed tenderly, holding up her left hand to reveal a golden ring with large red emerald in the center. "I married Markus, late last night." She said with a smile.

"I wish you both happiness." Anira said with a small smile. She never would have assumed her sister to marry the blacksmith, but she did see why it would be a lovely match. Markus was a skilled, kind-hearted man. He would treat her sister very well and provide her with a good life.

"Anira, shall we go?" Thorin asked quietly as he squeezed her hand. She smiled down at him and nodded, squeezing her hand back.

They walked back to the castle in a completely happy silence. She lead him into her home and up the staircase to her room. He laughed as she pushed through the hatch in the ceiling and crawled through.

"What on earth is so funny, Thorin?" She asked with a smile.

"I'm starting to think that climbing up the vines outside were less effort that trying to climb all of these stairs and crawl through such a tiny entrance." He laughed heartedly before following her through her entrance and closing the hatch behind himself. He sat on her floor and looked up at her, watching her as she quickly gathered the belongings that meant something to her.

"You do not have to sit here and wait for me, Thorin. You can go and pack your own belongings." Anira offered tenderly as she walked passed him, laying a couple of dresses in the bottom of a deep, black leather bag.

"My dearest Anira, most things that mean anything to me, I am wearing." Thorin said softly. "Many of my possessions were lost when Smaug claimed our home land, beneath the Lonely Mountain." He said, scratching at the wooden planks beneath him.

"I did not mean to upset you, Thorin. You have just gone through so much that I have never known and never experienced." She said quietly as she knelt down beside him, running a gentle hand through his hair. "You have endured much... I wish that I could undo the damage done to you. I wish I could fix the pain in your heart with my words of love."

"But you are, do you not see it?" Thorin said quietly as he rubbed her cheek tenderly with the back of his fingers. "With every word you say, my heart feels lighter."

"Thorin..." She whispered quietly as she leaned down and kissed him again, tenderly, giggling against his lips while his beard tickled her face. He groaned against her lips before he laid back against the floor, pulling her on top of him as he continued to kiss her, biting her lower lip tenderly as he did so.

"Anira... I do not want to press upon you..." Thorin spoke between her frantic kisses, trying to catch his breath. She was so young, vibrant, and full of life. Her enthusiasm was starting to make him feel like an old man. "But... If we have already agree'd to be married... What better a place to bind our love than here, in your room?"

"Oh, Thorin..." She whispered against his lips, kissing him again before placing her hands on the floor on both sides of his head, propping herself up to look down at him. "Not here... This home has too many ill memories within its walls... I would rather a place that is pure, a place that neither of us has sickening memories of." She whispered before she knelt on the floor, her knees on either side of him before she sat down. He groaned as he felt her weight and her heat against him. It took nearly all of his self control not to take her, but he knew that he should not.

"You are right, Anira." He said quietly. "I'm just being blinded by the needs of men. My needs have been ignored since I lost my home land almost sixty years ago." He whispered, groaning as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the floor. He sprawled his hands out against the cool wood beneath him, trying not to raise his hips against her. He did not want to frighten her or make her think less of him.

"Of course I am right." She said teasingly before she stood and went back to packing for her travels. She had placed a leather pack upon her bed and was filling it with clothing and a few other items. She grabbed her silver hair brush, a few pieces of jewelry, stuffing them into the bag quickly.

He laid there on the floor, eyes closed, trying to will the blood in his body to go back into the head on his shoulders before sitting up. He thought it funny. It had been so many years since anyone had gotten him that worked up, let alone, an elven child who did not even try.

"Thorin?" She asked quietly as she looked back at him.

"Yes, Anira?"

"I do not want to sound rude, but… How old are you, exactly?" Her voice was soft and timid, as if she were afraid he would yell his response to her.

"I wondered when you would ask. It's the gray, isn't it?"

"Well… I… Yes." She admit with a soft giggle. "I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry, it's alright to be curious. I am one hundred and sixty years old, Anira." He said quietly. She turned around and stared at him, her eyes wide with shock.

"I never would have guessed you to be anywhere over one hundred! I was thinking sixty or seventy!"

"You are kind." He said with a small chuckle. "How old are you, Anira? I know that once Elves mature much differently than dwarves."

"We mature between one hundred and one hundred and fifty years old." She said with a tender smile. "Women take longer to mature. I know I do not look like an adult woman quite yet, but I am one hundred and ten years of age." She said with a sweet smile.

"So you are just a bit younger than myself. I would not have guessed you were a day over sixty." He said with a charming wink. This brought a blush to her cheek and she turned away from him then. This was going to be quite an interesting union.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vera hummed tenderly to herself as she stood within her fathers room. The dust that layered everything in the room tickled her nose and made her want to sneeze. They had so many maids, why had this room never been cleaned? Large, hand drawn maps lined his walls. They all had very detailed drawings of mountains, valleys, forests, towns and even a couple of kingdoms. Red pins marked where he had fought in wars and Blue pins showed where he had lived in peace. There were far more Red pins than there were Blue. She never understood why he was so sentimental about such strange things. It was so hard to believe that such a cruel hearted man lived in such an elegant bedroom. Without the dust, the room would have been lovely and shimmering with bright colors. Golden tapestries hung beside his windows, showing his family tree, way back to when the first Elovere entered Middle-Earth. She remembered staring at these objects for hours on end when she was a young child, long before she knew of her fathers selfishness. She had always hoped that, one day, her name would be added to these tapestries along with her husband and her children but now she fear that she may never see that day. The blood line of the Elovere's was likely going to die with her and Tranora.

Vera had an illness of the blood that there was no known cure for. She suspected that Tranora was ill as well, but her sister would never speak to her about such things. It should have claimed her life long ago, but had not. Anira was the only reason she was still alive, Vera could feel it in her heart. Living so close to the elvish magic that surrounded her sister had slowed the sickness within her body, adding several years onto her life. Now her light in the darkness was going to leave her and become a light in the darkness for someone else. Though it pained her to know that she would not get to enjoy her new found happiness for very long, she loved the thought of her sister living with beings closer to her own people. Perhaps Thorin would be kind enough to take her to Rivendell so that she may meet other elves. The thought of it made Vera smile to herself.

She shook these thoughts away and continued to look around the room. She seemed to stir up dust with every step that she took. There were chests and boxes scattered about the room, all made of the thickest of metals and hardest of woods. Some had fine carvings, to make them look like decorations, but every single one of them had a thick lock. She knew that the family had much wealth, none of which was going to be needed now. She knew that she was not going to stay in this city, but could not speak for Tranora. However, her sister never cared much for physical wealth.

She walked to his red wood wardrobe and pulled the heavy doors open. They creaked and cracked in protest to the movement, releasing a cloud of dust that surrounded her when they finally swung open. She turned and coughed into her left shoulder for a few moments, waiting for the dust to clear. She then turned back and began to rummage through the articles of clothing that hung there. She found winter coats, summer coats, wool blankets, jackets made of every kind of fur in every color, but none of these were what she sought. There were also a few elegant outfits, which he had always worn when they hosted parties or had any company in their home.

"They have to be around here somewhere." She mumbled to herself quietly as she began to knock on the walls of the wardrobe, hoping to hear a hallow spot within the boards. One of her fondest memories as a child was when her father tried to impress her with his version of magic. He had hidden a ring of skeleton keys within the wardrobe and claimed to have 'made them disappear' as if he were some sort of wizard. This had always made her smile. It hurt her now to remember these moments. She could not place when her father turned into such a cruel man. He had always been a good parent to them, until they grew older. She had spent hours upon hours on her hands and knees, searching for the keys, but never found them. Up until now, she had no reason to go through her fathers belongings. She let out a groan of frustration as she knelt down and continued to knock on the hard wood with her gentle knuckles, and then she heard it. The deep, distinct echo of a hallow spot beneath the boards of the base of the wardrobe. She blew the dust away, causing herself to start coughing again. She looked closer and tried to pry at the boards with her finger tips, but it was not working. She could not open the boards, though she knew her prize lay right beneath her grasp. How cruel a trick this was. He was no magician or wizard, how did he hide his belongings so well?

She felt all but defeated as she placed her hands down on the floor. Beneath her left hand, she felt a small, string against her skin. She looked down at it skeptically for a few moments before she grabbed it with her thumb and forefinger. She believed it to be just a thread from fabric that had been caught on a nail or splinter. She pulled on the string and nearly screamed with surprise. The compartment in the bottom of the wardrobe sprung open with a small cloud of dust. She looked in and smiled when she saw the ring of keys that lay in the small hole. She grabbed them, laughing like a child as she held them in their hand. They clinked together in almost a musical fashion as she stood up and slammed the wardrobe doors shut. She walked to the large, mahogany chest that sat at the foot of his bed. She flipped the lid open carelessly and smiled. It did not crack, or creak. There were no spots of mold or splinters. The wood was smooth and seemed to reflect the light that came in through the windows. She removed the few shirts from the trunk and tossed them onto the plush blankets of his bed. She would deal with his belongings later. Right now, She was packing for Anira's departure.

She was searching through every hidden compartment she could find in the bedroom. There were secret compartments in the walls, the dressers, the floor. He even had objects of wealth beneath the blankets on his bed. She came across everything she had thought she would. There were several large gems such as Rubies and Sapphire's, piles of gold and silver coins. She kept tossing all of these things into the chest that she was going to give to Anira, as a gesture of good will for her travels with Thorin. She knew that her sisters new husband did not have much money to his name, at least, not with him. She wanted to make absolutely sure that they would be able to travel comfortably. She was well aware that Krystoff had hidden jewels for himself, but she never would have guessed just how many there were. What on earth was he preparing for? Did he think his kingdom was going to burn down over night and he would have to flee with what ever wealth he could find? She would never know now, but it did weigh on her mind slightly. In her searches, she also found whole dresser drawer of Rubies, a large satchel of gold beneath his bed frame, other odds and ends of gems and diamonds scattered about within his clothing and inside of vases.

"What on earth was he afraid of?" Vera asked herself quietly as she continued to dump everything she found into the chest for Anira. She wondered if it would be too heavy for them but then laughed. She shook her head at the ridiculous thought. Why make them walk? She was the rightful ruler of this city now. She would purchase a couple of horses and a cart to pull supplies for her dearest sister and her lover. She wanted them to get away from this city, far away. She knelt down and reached under the bed, pulling out a pile of scrolls. She took them in her hands and sat down on the floor. She stared at them for a few moments before she began to unroll them and began reading them. They were letters, from a woman who seemed to be in love with Krystoff. In their letters, they had spoken of love and their secret marriage plans. She spent a few moments wondering when this would have happened and how no one was aware of the woman in her fathers life, then she saw the date. These letters were from almost twenty years ago, which is when it hit her.

The woman who had written these letters to him was none other than Valessfaeniel, the elvish mother of Anira. She could not believe that an elvish woman would love a mortal man. Why else would a northern elf travel so far from home? The elves must not have wanted her to leave to be with Krystoff. Did she leave her child with him as a token of love? Maybe Anira was supposed to be a constant reminder of her fathers almost wife.

Perhaps that's why he had wanted to force Anira to marry him, so that he could torture her, make her feel the same pain that he must have felt. The last letter that she read was from about a year before Anira was left in their keeping. It explained that though she had once loved Krystoff, she loved him no longer. She had chosen to marry the elven king, Thranduil instead. Vera wiped a tear away from her eye, not because she felt bad about his fate, but because of how much it must have hurt. She had been denied so many lovers in her life, but she could not imagine what it felt like. The pain of knowing someone loved you, or at least,thinking that they loved you, just to have to watch them marry another. It must have been torture, to see the woman he had once loved, arrive with her husband, king of the Mirkwood elves, to leave her child with him. She knew that he would protect the child as his own despite how badly she had hurt him. Vera found herself wondering if the elvish woman had ever explained to him what happened, why she had chosen the elvish king. Had Krystoff seen the leather bound book, or not? She would never know the answer to these questions now. She was almost certain that her father had never seen the book, but he was a stealthy man. Years of certainty suddenly felt like lies to her.

"Vera, what on earth are you doing on the floor, love?" Markus asked from the doorway, knocking to announce his presence, but only after he had spoken. He stood, smiling at her, leaning casually against the wooden door frame. He felt like he was the luckiest man in the whole kingdom as he looked upon her. For years, he had longed to be with Vera, but felt that she would never return his feelings. When they were younger, she had visited his shop often. He could see that she was still wearing the necklace and rings he had made for her. She had always come up with excuses to have him make things for her. He remembered a few times where she purchased items for others in the city, just so that she could speak to him.

When he proposed to her for the first time, she had seemed so excited. She said she was going to tell her father the good news, but that was the last time he got to speak with her alone for what seemed to him to be forever. Krystoff had locked her away from him, making sure she did not go anywhere near her shop unless she absolutely had to. He felt as though his impulsive decision to marry her was going to cause him to lose her forever. For a long time, that seemed to be true, until the previous night.

**"Vera, what are you doing?" Markus asked, his voice full of pain and despair as he watched her walk back towards the street, from the broken down shack that he knew his helping hand, Thorin, dwell. What kind of women had she become after all of these years? The kind of woman who sneaks through the streets, visiting the low life men of the city for a few coins on the side? He knew that she did not need the money, so he had to believe that she did it because she enjoyed it. These thoughts filled him with grief and despair. Why could he not marry her? Why would she not take him as a husband?**

** "Oh, my goodness! Markus, you gave me quite a fright." Vera said quietly as she quickly walked back to him. She desperately wanted to remain unnoticed by others if she could help it. She was always so intimidated by Markus. He was such a strong, attractive gentleman with a very reputable business. She had wanted so badly to be his wife since she met him almost ten years ago. She could hardly believe it had been so long. She believed that he always thought her just a silly, spoiled, rich girl from the royal family. He had never forgiven her for being unable to marry him. She resented her father for his controlling ways. She had never been able to speak to him for terribly long at a time, but she would have liked to.**

** "Answer the question, lass. I thought that Anira was interested in accepting Thorin as a suitor, or at least, that is how it seemed when she was in the shop earlier today. Why would you be visiting him at such hours of the night?" He asked sternly, wanting her to admit her infidelity if for no other reason than to use it as black mail against her. There was a pain in his heart when he realized he was willing to go so far as to blackmail her to get her to be his bride. He could not understand why she would not give him the time of day, but she would risk her very reputation to spend a single night with a... A dwarf! Never before had he felt such intense jealousy. He felt as though his blood may boil or his heart might burst at any moment.**

** "It is because of Anira that I had to see him. Markus, I can not explain all of it to you, but you must brace yourself. I fear that tomorrow will be the day Krystoff finally breaks his reserve and attempts to harm Anira, or he may attempt to harm Thorin. I need you to promise me that if he comes near them with weapon, you will at least try to help them. I am not asking you to fight or die for them, just... Help. Toss them a sword or an axe, something that they can defend themselves with." She said with a sad smile before she pushed her hood back from her face and smiled at Markus. She was lovely, despite the bags under her eyes. The poor girl looked as though she had not slept a whole night through in ages. He wondered why she was unable to sleep. Was Krystoff hurting her in the night, or perhaps he was hurting her sisters. He did not know and did not want to know.**

** "Why would he harm the lad, or your sister? What reason does he have to harm his own blood?"**

** "Anira is not his blood, you know that as well as I do. She is an elf, have you not noticed?" She laughed sadly.**

** "I thought those rumors were all lies." He said sternly, still not quite satisfied with any of the answers she had given him. Of course he knew that Anira was an elf. She had revealed herself to him a long time ago. He did not tell Vera this, in fear of causing trouble for Anira. He wanted to understand more clearly why Vera was out in the street. He knew that she was unsafe outside of her castle walls.**

** "Markus, I must tell you something, for I fear that Krystoff may in fact... Kill me tomorrow." She said with a nervous laugh. She stepped forward and grabbed his hands in her owns and smiled, leaning forward and kissing him very tenderly for just a moment before she pulled back from him. She knew that it would be shockingly forward for a woman of status to kiss a man so impulsively. She also did not care, fearing this to be her last night on earth. There was a faint blush across her cheeks and a smile upon her lips. **

** "I have always been completely impressed by the skill you possess with your craft. I wish that I knew how to mold metal or jewels into lovely objects. I am sure that you do not think much of me, Markus, but I have always adored you from afar. My heart broke the day my father told me he forbade me to marry you. That is why I never took a husband at all. I told him it was going to be you.. Or no one. He did not believe me for a long time, but now it is too late." She said nervously, smiling sadly as a tear slid down her cheek. "I just... Needed you to know that. I never would be able to forgive myself, should anything happen to either of us, if I had not told you. I must have seemed so cruel to you, not speaking to you for so long after your proposal."**

** "Vera." Markus said quietly, squeezing her hands before wrapping his arms around her tightly, resting his cheek against hers. He hardly knew what to say. How foolish he felt for assuming such terrible things of her. This woman who he loved was just as virtuous now as the day he had met her. He would never again allow himself to feel such thoughts about her. **

** "Why have we watched each other for so long without saying a word?" He laughed sadly against her ear. "I do not have much to offer you, but I can keep you safe from harm, a roof over your head and food on your table. Will you do me the honor... Of becoming my wife?" He asked quietly, pulling away and looking her in the eye. The look of shock upon her face was absolutely adorable. Her blue eyes seemed to glow with pleasure.**

** "Markus... Of course I will!" She said with a bright smile. She did not care what would happen tomorrow. She was either going to be killed or banished by Krystoff, so what if she got married against his wishes. She was going to be happy, whether he approved of it or not. "But when?"**

** "Why not right now, right this moment?" **

** "Will their be an official available to wed us, Markus? I do not even know who in this town has that authority!" Her words were frantic with excitement.**

** "I know someone who does, let us go,. Right now." He said as he squeezed her hand and lead her back into the darkness. She followed him without hesitation. If he were any other man, she would question his motives for dragging her into the forest, but not Markus. She knew that he would do nothing but love her for as long as they both shall live. This simple fact filled her heart with joy she had never felt before.**

Vera looked up at Markus and brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her face. He smiled to himself, thinking about how lovely she was. She looked years younger now that the stress of her father was off of her mind.

"I am finding all of father's hoards of gold and jewels. We have a rather large surplus hidden within our grasp, there is no need for these few spare pieces." She said with a tender smile as she tossed a golden wine glass into the chest carelessly. It clinked and crashed against the other objects in the box. Markus stared at the chest with wide eyes, it was almost full! How much money did this family have? He had no idea their wealth was so large.

"I plan to give them to Anira and Thorin, as a wedding present. I do hope that it will help them on their journey for a new home. I know that his homeland no longer belongs to him or his kin, and this is the only home she has ever known. Is it wrong of me to wish them save travel from here?" She asked with an innocent smile as she looked up at him. She always wondered if she was making the right decisions. It was going to weigh on her even more now that she was in charge of the city, even if just temporarily.

"I do not think it is wrong of you to urge them to leave. What would the townsfolk say after what they witnessed today? Yes, they think that your sister is a saint for finally freeing us from Krystoff and his dark intentions, but she is still a murderer. As much as it would pain them, the men who enforce the laws here would have to lock her away and make her pay for what she did. No one will trust her the way they did before, not when she so easily stuck your father with a blade. The shame she would feel here is not fair to her or Thorin. They need to move on, but I agree that every bit we can do to help them, we very well should."

"It does make me feel better that you agree."

"Why is that, Vera?"

"You're a very smart man, dear husband." She said with a tender smile. "You have seen kingdoms rise and you have seen kingdoms fall. I do not fear running this city as long as you are by my side."

He chuckled and walked into the room, leaning down to kiss her on top of her head tenderly. He ran his fingers through her hair gently for a moment before standing up straight again, wincing as he heard his back crack from his old age.

"You best hurry up. I can hear your sister moving frantically upstairs to pack her things. I do not want her to leave before you are able to give her your gift." Markus said with a tender smile and small wink as he looked down at his wife.

"Our gift, dear. If you thought this was excessive, I would not send her with all of my findings." Vera said honestly.

"I may be your husband, but I do not desire the right to tell you what to do. I do not know what your father told you, but you will be my equal, my love." Markus said with a small smile on his unshaven face as he turned and walked towards the door.

"Markus!" Vera called quickly as she looked over at him. He turned back and looked at her skeptically.

"What is it, dear? Have you forgotten something?" He asked gently.

"Could you do me a favor?" She said tenderly.

"Of course. What do you need?"

"I need you to take these." Vera said, tossing him a small, purple, velvet pouch. It was heavy with golden coins. "And go buy two of the largest, strongest, healthiest horses you can find and a large cart or wagon that they can pull. I want Anira and Thorin to be able to travel swiftly and with ease. My gift alone would weight them down immensely if they attempted to walk." She said with a smile as she looked up at him. Markus did not say a word to her. He nodded in agreement before he turned and left the room, disappearing from her sight.

Vera quickly finished tossing valuables into the chest before she closed it, bucking all of the latches to keep it shut. She was actually surprised that it did shut, she had filled it to the brim. She twisted a small key in the series of 6 bronze locks across the front. There was a small click each time and she knew that the items inside would be safe. She went to lift it and groaned. She did not realize how heavy the chest got in such a small period of time. Just how much had she put in there? She managed to drag the chest to the doorway, groaning in strain as she tried to pull the object that must have weighed more than five times her own weight!

"Come on, Thorin!" Anira called excitedly as she obviously ran down her stairs and towards the large front door that lead out into the city. She was very quick and graceful. She hardly ever made a noise when she moved, especially when she ran. Evles truly were such fascinating beings.

"Calm down, Anira!" Thorin said with a hearty laugh. He looked down at the spiral staircase and suddenly had a sense of vertigo. He closed his eyes for a moment before he squatted down and gripped the floor around the hatch. He carefully lowered himself down onto the first step. It seemed so far away, but he assumed that was because she was so much taller than himself.

"I'm still trying to get down this death trap that you call a staircase. I'm no where near as graceful as you-" His sentence was cut off when there was a sudden series of crashes. A heavy object could be heard falling down the last few stairs. There were a few grunts and groans from a man as the tumbling occurred.

Anira let out a small scream of despair. A few moments after, Vera could hear some deep groans that she assumed to be coming from Thorin. She had almost fallen down those stairs more times than she could count. Vera hurried from Krystoff's room, the chest still sitting in the doorway, blocking the entrance to the mans room. She was going to see if Thorin would help her carry it. If not, she would just wait for Markus and have him carry it for her.

She could see Thorin, sprawled out on the floor at the base of the spiral staircase. He was staring at the ceiling with wide blue eyes. He did not seem to be bleeding or have any broken bones, but it was hard to tell with how many layers he wore. His cloak was bunched up looked uncomfortable beneath his back. Vera could see him moving his fingers slowly and then his arms and legs.

"Let me help you-" Anira whined childishly as she ran back to him. She knelt down beside him and tenderly grabbed his left arm.

"Stop." Thorin said, raising a large hand in protest. He did not want to move too quickly, just incase he really had injured himself. "Give me just a moment before you stand me up. I'm trying to feel and make sure that nothing is broken." He said with a tender smile before looking up at Anira. She was always surprised when he smiled. It changed his face entirely and she loved it. She hoped that these would be the first of many smiles in their union. He cupped her cheek softly, rubbing her tender skin with his thumb gently. "Though... From the sight I get to look up at, I very well may be dead." He said quietly. "Perhaps you are an angel, sent to take me away?" He said, his voice was slightly playful.

"You are very funny." Anira said quietly, rolling her eyes before she leaned down and gave him a tender kiss. He kissed her back softly. She squeaked in surprise when he tenderly bit her lower lip. He knew that he was too forward for her taste, but he could not resist. Shortly after she broke the kiss, he willed himself to sit up. Nothing seemed to be broken, though he was going to have a few bruises in the morning. Anira grabbed his arm and helped him to stand, surprised at how heavy he was for his size. He seemed to dislike this, but was not going to tell her so. He did not want to be pitied and convinced himself that she was only trying to help him, not pity him. That made it easier for him to accept.

"It is nice to see you so happy, Anira." Vera called softly, bending down to pick up the chest. She quickly gave up on that attempt and just walked over to the happy couple. "I pray that your union bring you all the happiness in the world. I also, would like you to take this chest as a wedding present from myself and Markus." She said sweetly, pointing out the chest to Thorin. He walked over to the chest and looked at it for a few moments. There were two bronze handles on the box, one on each side. He bent down slightly and grabbed them, lifting the chest with ease as he walked back to Anira. He set the chest down beside her with a heavy thud. The wooden floor cracked beneath the weight of it. Vera was impressed with his strength, but knew that she should not be surprised.

"Oh, Vera..." Anira said sadly as she placed her hand over her heart. That was when Thorin noticed her sleeve was torn open and stained with blood. When on earth had she been injured and why did he not notice it sooner? He suddenly realized that he was truly going to make a terrible husband. Not even married yet and already he was not capable of keeping her safe. Upon further inspection, looking over as casually as he could, he realized that her wound had completely healed. Not even a scar was left on her tender flesh. He knew that the magic that elves had was strong, but he had no idea it healed so quickly. He was trying not to look suspicious as the sisters spoke to each other. He did not hear a word they were saying, too focused on his own task to worry about them.

He suddenly remembered then, when they were in the city. Krystoff had swung his blade wildly at them. He must have made contact with Anira. Actually, he was sure that the blade had caught her. It was only after he heard her cry out in pain that he had attacked the man with his bare hands. He smiled to himself slightly, looking down at the floor. Perhaps he was not going to be a terrible husband after all.

"Anira, Shall we head out into the city? Markus has a wedding present for you two as well." Vera said with a tender smile, reaching out and holding her hand palm up, waiting for her sister to take her hand.

"Vera, You have already given so much. You need not give us any more." Anira protested with a tender tone before she reached out and grabbed her sisters hand with a gentle squeeze. She looked back at Thorin and smiled. She released her sisters hand and walked back to him.

"You two can go on ahead, I can carry this." Thorin said casually as he patted the large chest beside him.

"I know you can, but you should not have to do all of the heavy lifting." Anira said with a tender smile, leaning down to kiss him tenderly on top of his head. She loved the fact that his hair almost always smelled like smoke and fire. She had always longed for a normal life. She thought that perhaps he could give that to her.

She leaned down just a little bit further and grabbed one of the handles on the side of the chest. Thorin grabbed the other handle and they both lifted the chest with ease. The strength of a Dwarf and an Elf was more than enough to move the chest. Vera watched them with a look of humor in her eyes. She felt so silly for how much she had struggled with the chest. She tried to move it alone, true, but she also felt that both of them could move the chest by themselves should they so choose.

"Lead the way, dearest sister." Anira said tenderly as she walked. She took smaller steps that she normally would. She knew that Thorin could not walk as fast and she did not want him to struggle to keep up with her as they carried their wedding present.

"Of course." Vera said as she turned and opened the large doors. All three of them groaned in unison as the hot air and bright light hit them. They had not realized how dark and damp it was within the castle.

Anira looked around sadly for a few moments. She was going to miss this place, despite all of the bad memories it held for her. After all, it was the only home she had ever known. More than anything else, she was going to miss both of her sisters. They were the only people who never treated her any differently. As much as the people in the city had tried, they could not help but to treat her less like a person. She was more of a statue, or an angel to them. They could all feel her magic, but no one could explain it. No one knew she was an elf and it made them uncomfortable, though none of them knew why. Tranora and Vera had always been the perfect rolemodels, especially Vera.

Anira had always loved to watch her sister interact with the city people. She always had such an air of elegance around her and a lovely personality that could be compared to no one else. She thought that if she could be at least half the person her sister was, she would be pleased. She looked over at Thorin as they walked, smiling nervously to herself. She was so afraid of disappointing him. What if she made a terrible wife? She knew very little about the relationships of dwarves. She knew that mortals were prone to marrying more than once if their significant dies, but elves where not. What of dwarves? Would they live their lives completely alone after losing the one they had lost, or would they love again? She shook these thoughts away from herself. She felt silly. She understood completely well that she was going to out live him by eternity. That was a completely separate bridge that she would cross when she came to it. Until then, she was only going to focus on being able to have him by her side.

"Where on earth are you leading us?" Anira asked quietly as she looked around. The city was continuing on as though nothing had changed. There was not a sad face in sight. Everyone was working their shops and tending their crops. The children were playing in the street, running and laughing all around. She could not believe that not a single person mourned the loss of Krystoff. That made her wonder just how many of them had he wronged? Had he been so greedy that he had robbed them blind, or perhaps forced wives and mothers to his bed? Perhaps the distance that he kept from his city was enough for them to be neutral to his death.

"I'm taking you to the stables, near the Northern edge of the city." Vera called back quietly as she continued to lead them skillfully through the street.

"Slow down!" Anira called with a lovely laugh, shaking her head. "We can not walk that fast while carrying your gift." She pointed out tenderly. Vera slowed down almost instantly as she looked over her shoulder with a playful smile.

"Are you sure you want to leave your home for me?" Thorin asked suddenly, looking over at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Why do you ask?" Anira asked quietly as she looked over at him.

"What happens if we do not get along as well after we only have each other?"

"I do not see that happening."

"No one ever sees it happening, but it does happen. I just want to make sure we are prepared for failure, should it occur."

"Thorin." Anira snapped quickly as she glared over at him. "Do not be so certain that this will not work. I do not know what the women you have been with before were like, but I am not them. I will not give up on you so easily, nor should you give up on me. I do not expect this to be easy, but I feel in my heart that this is the right thing to do."

Thorin just looked at her, completely astonished by her answer. It was rather hard for him to take her seriously sometimes, seeing as she looked like such a young woman. He felt guilty as he looked at her. She was not even fully an adult yet and was marrying him, who was already much more aged than she and would continue to age more quickly. He felt like he was condemning her to a lifetime of loneliness. What would she do for all of those years after he had gone? He cursed himself quickly for thinking such thoughts.

"Alright, you two, here we are!" Vera called as she walked towards the stable.

The stable was an old building, still one of the very few that was made of wood and not stone. It was very well taken care of, considering its age. All of the boards for the walls looked like they had been replaced fairly recently. The wood looked as though it was birch, but she could not tell without taking a moment to actually pay close attention. There were patches of moss growing on the roof and green vines starting to crawl up the sides. As they drew closer, Anira closed her eyes and did her best not to let her distaste show upon her face. She did not much care for the smell of horses, or any large animal for that matter. It was not a very big building, only large enough for about half a dozen horses, if they had their proper space.

"Why on earth have you lead us here?" Anira asked with a forced smile as she set down her half of the chest. Thorin followed suit, also dropping the chest as he watched Vera go closer to the stable.

"The chest was a present from me." Vera called as she disappeared behind the building for a moment. She emerged again, holding a long, thick rope. It had stains and frayed strings in the chord. It looked very well used. "But this." She said as she walked towards them. "Is a present from Markus." She said sweetly.

Anira took a gasp and stared, eyes wide and mouth a gape. She could hardly believe her eyes. There were two, beautiful, black horses pulling a wooden cart. The horses both looked strong, well fed, and still fairly young.

"Vera, they're beautiful!" Anira said quickly as she hurried towards the horses. Once she got close enough to touch them, she slowed down dramatically. She looked almost like a shy child as she approached them, lifting her hands to gently pet their noses. She could not believe how much she loved them at that instant. She had never cared for large animals, but these seemed to be so much more than just animals. She could almost feel a magic coming off of them, like the magic she knew radiated from herself.

"Oh, Thorin, what do you think?" She called softly, not turning to look back at him. She was asking him his thoughts to be polite, but she did not really care what he thought. No matter what he said, she was going to keep these horses with her on their travels. They looked like they would serve their masters well.

"They look strong." Thorin said as he walked up next to him, placing his hand on the back of her thigh and squeezing tenderly. She felt a hot blush across her cheeks and was careful not to look down at him. She did not want him to understand just what kind of power he would have over her if he would only ask.

"They do." Anira agreed quietly. Her voice was quiet and sheepish now.

"The cart is sturdy too." He said as he took his hand from her and stepped carefully around the horses. He looked at the cart and smiled, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun.

It looked like a carrivan that the gypsies would travel with. It was a plain, boxy shape with four walls and a rounded roof. On the front, was a bench for at least two people to sit comfortably. He imagined that at least four people could fit up there if they tried and did not mind being too close. There was also a door on the back, which had a metal lock on it. The wood of the walls looked as though it was almost fresh. Silky smooth and cold beneath his large fingers. The wheels were large and made mostly of wood, but did have some metal rods for reenforcement. He smiled to himself as he pushed against the wall. There was almost no give, a sign of good craftsmanship.

"Anira, come here with that chest." Thorin called as he opened the back door of the carrivan. It was a little bit of a reach for him, but he did manage by himself. He pushed the door open before grabbing the door frame and pulling himself into the back of the cart. He looked around, inspecting the work. He was not disappointed. There were very basic necessities within the cart that he did not expect. On each of the long walls, there were two rectangular pieces of wood that hung from the walls by latches. He walked to one of them and quickly unlatched it. The board fell towards him and he was able to back up fast enough for it to miss hitting him. He laughed quietly to himself as the board stopped, catching itself on two chains that pulled tight. Each of the corners that were not against the wall had a chain bolted to them, which was also bolted to the wall.

"I thought that perhaps, if you were unable to find shelter, for any reason at all..." Vera explained quietly as she leaned into the cart and looked up at him. "That maybe it would be nice if you had at least somewhere you could hide from the cold or the rain."

"It is very thoughtful, Vera. I am sure that it will be of good use to us." Thorin said with a tender smile before pushing the board back up on the wall, latching the hinge again. He made sure that it was secure before stepping back. He had already fallen down the stairs today. The last thing he needed was to be attacked by a fold out bed.

"Here you go, Thorin." Anira said quietly as she tried her best to politely squeeze passed her sister to hand the chest up to him. He took it by the handle and pulled it in, sliding it across the base boards and pushing it into one of the deeper corners.

"What do you think, Anira?" Thorin asked with a small smile before he jumped out of the cart, landing with a small wince as he felt a twinge of pain in his ankles from the sudden force.

"I think it is very humbling." She said honestly as she looked inside. "I absolutely adore it. I had always envied gypsies as a child, you know. I was jealous at how much freedom they always had." she said quietly, talking more to herself than to him before she laughed. "I even tried to run away with them once." She said excitedly. "I almost made it out of the city too, before Krystoff caught me. He had to drag me home, kicking and screaming." She laughed.

"No one is going to drag you home now." Thorin said as he looked up at her.

"I have waited my whole life to hear someone say that to me." Anira said softly as she turned back to Vera. "I did not expect to have so much luxury while traveling." She teased as she set her backpack full of her clothes and precious belongings on the ground beside the cart. "Will you come with me and help me pack some blankets and other provisions that may serve us well? May be nice to have a small supply of dried meats and fruits, just in case we encounter some hardships that keep us from hunting or gathering. I have no idea what to expect on our travels, though, I'm sure Thorin has at least some idea." She said sweetly as she looked back at Thorin. She could not help but to smile every time she looked upon him. It pleased her deeply that he had become fond of her.

"I think you are right. You should go gather some more supplies and I will gather what little belongings I have and pack them away. We will be ready to leave within the hour, I believe." He said with a small nod. Anira nodded quickly before she walked to him and leaned down, kissing his lips tenderly before she hurried back to the castle. He hardly had time to react to her affection before she was gone. She moved swift and quiet, like the wind. It was going to take some getting used to.

Thorin shook his head as he walked back into the city. It seemed so much smaller to him now, perhaps that was because he has seen so much more of it within the last day. He walked towards the blacksmith shop and through it, heading towards his small shack that lay just outside of the woods. He was thankful that he would not have to live there anymore. He missed living beneath the mountains, with his own people. No one here really understood his humor or his need to work.

He pushed the crooked door open and its hinges squeaked loudly as the door moved. He stepped inside and looked at everything. There was not much within. A couple of furs lay on his broken down bed and the book... The red journal lay on his table. Everything else had been there before he moved in, and would stay there. He grabbed the book first and closed the lock tightly. He would pick the lock open again, should he have reason to read it. More than anything, he did not want Anira reading it on accident. He placed the book upon his bed, wrapping it carefully within the blankets. He made sure that they looked like they had been nicely folded, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Are you already keeping secrets from her?" A mans voice asked from behind him. He froze and reached for his belt. He closed his eyes and felt slightly furious with himself for not having his sword on him. It was still within Markus' shop.

"I do not know what you're talking about." Thorin said as he turned around. He saw Markus, standing in the doorway, holding his sword.

"Of course not." Markus said with a small laugh as he stepped into the shack and handed Thorin the blade. Thorin took it and quickly reattached it to his belt, not wanting to be caught off guard again.

"She's just a girl, Thorin." Markus said quietly. "She knows very little of live beyond these walls, because no one ever let her learn of it. I watched you hide that red book just now. I know it is none of my business, but if it is something that would hurt her, I suggest you get rid of it now. If you break her heart, every man in this city will demand your head."

"I have no intention of breaking her heart. That book is something that she will need to see when she is but a little older. I must keep it secret until then. If she sees it before she would understand it, more than just her heart will be broken." Thorin said angrily. He knew his anger was uncalled for, but he felt as though Markus was attacking him. His natural reaction was to be defensive.

"That girl... Is almost like my own blood, my own sister or daughter. Her father never loved her the way he should have, never took care of her like he took care of his own. There are very few of us who treated her like she was just the same as her sisters." Markus explained as a sudden sadness filled his eyes.

Thorin understood it then, that Markus thought of her like his own daughter. It was only natural for him to be worried about her leaving, especially at her young age. Men from other cities would undoubtedly try to take advantage of her if given the chance. She looked young, innocent, and pure. Dark hearted men would love any chance to take her innocence from her. They were likely going to meet a few less than respectable characters while they made their way to the Blue Mountains.

"I do understand your concerns, Markus." Thorin said gently as he reached out and put a comforting hand on the mans arm. "Nothing is going to harm Anira, not me, not anyone else. I would give my very life to make sure she was unharmed." He said sternly. "I know I am not her husband yet, but I will be. As soon as we find a being with the authority to wed us, we will be united." He said quietly. Markus seemed satisfied with Thorin's statement and a small smile crossed his lips.

"I do know of a man who could do that for you." Markus said tenderly.

"Oh? You do? Is he in this city?"

"No, but he is close. He's just through the woods, straight west from here. He lives in a very small, beat up looking home built around a tree. His name is Ratagast. He is a wizard who watches over the woods and the creatures within them. He does have the authority you are looking for." He said gently. "I warn you, he is a rather strange fellow. Does not really know how to talk to other people. After all, the only beings he talks to are the animals that live within his keeping."

"Ratagast? Are you sure I would recognize him or his home if I were to see them?"

"You can not mistake him or his home." Markus assured him.

"Thank you. I appreciate all of your help, and Vera's. You have both been more than generous with helping us to leave the city."

"We know that the seasons are changing. The air is going to start getting colder and colder. Snow will begin to fall from the sky in a matter of weeks. We want to help you get far enough south to where the snow will not fall and the cold will not be as bitter." He explained tenderly before he turned and walked away from Thorin.

Thorin could tell that it pained Markus to watch them leave, but he knew that it was for the best. He looked down at his dusty floor for a few moments. He drug the tip of his boot against the floor, drawing lines and different shapes into the dust. He was only waiting for Anira to return at this point. His belongings would be packed within a matter of minutes and he would only be waiting for her beside the cart. He walked back to his bed and grabbed the furs in his arms. He could feel the book within them as he walked out and went back to the cart.

The sun was high in the sky now, and the heat was almost unbearable. Looking around, the air was making everything look like it was steaming. He reached up, trying to open the back door of the caravan. He groaned to himself quietly as he lost his grip on the furs, barely catching them before they hit the ground. This cart was obviously not created for the use of a dwarf. He looked up at the bronze handle for a moment and just thought about how he should handle this. Last thing he wanted was to make their supplies dusty. He did not know when he would get a chance to shake them out before they stopped again.

"Do you need some help?" Anira asked as she walked up from behind him. He turned around and smiled at her. She was always surprised at how white his teeth were.

"I could use some help, if you are offering. I thought I could grab everything in one trip. I was not wrong, but I did not think about needing to open the door as well." He admit with a small laugh.

"I figured as much. We are supposed to work together now, remember?" Anira said as she kissed him on the top of the head before she reached over him and opened the door of the cart. Thorin quickly threw the furs inside of the cart before climbing inside, putting his furs in the back corner with the chest. He turned back and Anira handed him thick quilts, and two boxes of dried meats and different herbs.

"Just some supplies. I do not know how long this is going to take. How far are we going?" She asked with a smile as she put a small bag just inside of the door. The bag was filled with assorted seeds. She did not know if they would settle anywhere between now and reaching his home. She wanted to be able to make her house as home like as she could.

"I am pleased that you have been thinking so far ahead for our trip. You are going to make a splendid queen and mother." Thorin said, almost without thinking as he continued to organize within the cart. He was so busy with his own task, that he did not realize the bright blush that his words had put on her pale face. She looked as bright red as a cherry. She turned away with a bright smile as she walked towards the front of the cart, petting one of the horses tenderly on its side.

"I do wish that we could marry sooner." Anira said loudly, making sure he would hear her. She could hear him jump down from the cart and then latch the door closed.

"Oh? Why could we not marry now?" Thorin asked as he walked back to her, looking up at her.

"Well, the only official within the city was Krystoff. He will be unable to help us, and he would not even if he was still alive." She said with a sigh.

"Markus told me of a wizard who lives west of here, in the woods. We are going to see him before starting our travels and ask if he would wed us."

"Really, Thorin? That's wonderful!" She said excitedly as she climbed up onto the front seat of the cart, patting the spot next to her for him to come and sit down. He nodded and lifted himself up, grabbing the seat and the side of the wagon. He sat down beside her and grabbed the reins.

"Do you wish to say good bye to your family?" Thorin asked gently as he looked over at her. He did not want her to leave any sooner than she was ready to.

" I have already said my goodbyes." She said sadly as she looked down at her lap. Tears were swelling in her eyes. She looked up at the sky, shaking her head slightly as she blinked back tears. "They know how deeply I love them, and that I will always cherish them and miss them. I do not wish to start crying again. Please, let us leave." She said as her lower lip began to quiver.

"Alright." He said with a stern tone as he urged the horses forward. They both began walking, causing the whole cart to lurch forward with a sudden jerk. The horse pulled them at a slow, but steady pace. Neither of them was in a grave hurry to get anywhere, so there was no point in moving any more quickly.

Anira could feel her heart beating in her chest. She felt as though she was going to be sick up and vomit over the side of the cart. She suddenly wondered if leaving her home for a man that she had only just met was a good idea. Everyone else seemed to support her and the decision they made, but she could not stop questioning herself. She looked over at the man who was soon to be her husband and had no idea what to think. What would happen to here if he were to die? Would the dwarves still accept her among them, or would they force her to leave? She did not realize that she was wringing her sleeves within her hands nervously. Her grip was so tight that her knuckles were turning white. When she realized what she was doing, she forced herself to stop instantly. She rose a trembling hand and tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear.

Thorin looked over at her and could see the look of unease upon her face. They had just barely passed through the gates that guarded the city. The walls were tall and made of white stones like the rest of the city, but they were much larger and well put together. Meant to keep out enemies, of course. He reached a hand over and placed it tenderly on her thigh, squeezing tenderly in an attempt to comfort her.

"I know how hard it is to leave home." Thorin said tenderly. "It does hurt at first, but the pain will dull with time. You only have to wait for that to happen, but I promise you that it will." He said. He was not very good with being sentimental about things like this, but he knew he had to at least try.

"I am alright, Thorin, just nervous." She said as she bit her lower lip. She stayed silent for a few moments before she turned to look at him. "What happens if you do not like me after we are married..?" She asked hurriedly. "What if I make a terrible wife? What if your kin does not like me or approve of you taking an elf maid as a wife? What if I can not give you an heir? I mean, what if something is wrong with me, or if elves and dwarves simply can not have children together?" She whined quietly as she covered her face in her hands. She could feel her hot tears stinging her eyes and burning down her cheeks. She could not stop them and did not want Thorin to see her this way. She wanted nothing more than to have control of her emotions like all of the other elves did. Why could she not be like her own people?

"Anira." Thorin said sternly, his voice hard and demanding. "Uncover your face right this moment and look at me."

Anira whimpered and reluctantly lowered her hands from her face. She was trembling and her lower lip was quivering. She tried her best to control her tears, but they kept sliding down her cheeks. He had a scowl on his face and he looked like he was going to yell at her for crying about her thoughts, or yell at her for even having such thoughts. She was surprised when he quickly reached out and grabbed her by the back of her neck, tugging her closer to him as he kissed her forcefully upon the lips. She whined in pain as his teeth hit hers. She was not prepared for such a violent contact out of nowhere. He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers for a few moment before speaking.

"Do not bother yourself with such thoughts. We have all of our lives ahead of us. I know that I am not the youngest of men, Anira. I know that you deserve so much better than myself, but we still have well over two hundred years to be together. I want you to do me a favor right now, can you do that?"

"What do you want me to do..?"

"I want you to look around." He whispered, kissing her on the nose tenderly.

Anira looked at him, sniffling quietly as she nodded. She turned from him and looked forward. Her eyes went wide and she pulled away from him, focusing on everything that she could possibly take in. She had gone into the woods outside of her city. They were absolutely stunning. The trees all looked lush and healthy, showing brilliant shades of green that made the whole forest look like it was alight with magic. The wind blew the grass and the leafs around beautifully, tossing the shadows every which way beneath their branches. As she continued to look around, she noticed brightly colored flowers that seemed to be growing in bushes or small patches. Every color was abundant, so unlike the white flowers that surrounded the vines within the city walls. She found herself wanting to pick them so that she could savor their beauty, but she knew that would be wrong of her. Things that beautiful should be left alone, to live and allow others to enjoy their loveliness as well.

"I have lived in the darkness for so long... That I had forgotten just how beautiful the light is." Anira said sadly as her tears dried.

"That makes two of us, Anira. Ever since my home within Erebor was destroyed, myself and my kin have all felt very lost. We can not face the dragon, Smaug, not alone. Our allies abandon us long ago." He said tenderly. "But you are the brightest light that I have ever seen."

"You are so kind to me, Thorin. I hardly know what to say, other than thank you." She said quietly.

"I wonder what kind of a marriage ceremony the wizard knows how to perform, probably just a mortal ritual. We will not be wed in the eyes of my people until we are able to go beneath the Blue Mountains and celebrate in the ways of my people."

"What are the ways of your people, Thorin?" She asked with a bright smile. She was more than curious about the ways of the dwarves. She hoped that he would explain much more to her on their journey so that she would not arrive without any knowledge of dwarves.

"That is a discussion for a later date, my dearest Anira." Thorin said with a sad smile. He knew that the customs of his people would not allow him to marry her, for several reasons. The laws of his people clearly state that dwarves can not marry those who are not dwarves. They also can not marry those who are below age of what the dwarves consider to be adulthood, which was at least 65 and many did not marry until much later, if at all. He did not want to break her heart and explain these things to her. He was going to argue with the council of his kin and plead with them to allow his marriage to this woman. Even if he could convince them to allow him to wed, there would still be many complications and delays. He would have to add on to his hall, although he would not have to add much. It was custom for the dwarvish men to expand their halls enough for the bride and her entire kin to move into his halls. She had no family now, and neither did he. There were so many parts of the ceremony that had to do with the father of both the bride and groom, but neither of them had a father to take part. He was starting to believe that his marriage to her, if it happened at all, would be more of a sad ritual than a joyous one. He also did not know how to explain to her that they would have to make love in order to have a proper betrothal, and again to seal their union. There was much that she would have to learn, but he was not going to pester her with that now.

"Thorin, what is that?" Anira asked as she pointed out in front of them. He blinked rapidly for a few moments, clearing his heads of his thoughts before he looked towards where she was pointing.

He smiled to himself as the house came into view. Markus had not been exadurating when he spoke of it earlier. The house was made out of what looked like branches and straw, tied together with twine made of dried grass. The walls were not straight, each of them looked like it was collapsing inward or outward, but they looked sturdy. He believed that these walls were built this way on purpose. There were a few windows and a rickety looking door. The glass in the windows was dirty and most of them were broken. The whole building itself was built over a large tree that had branches going in every direction, almost like a web.

"This is the house we were looking for." Thorin said with a smile as he pulled the reins on the horses to get them to stop. They both let out a deep breath as the stopped and stomped their feet in place for a few moment before calming down.

"Who lives here, Thorin?" She asked nervously. "This house frightens me. I do not like the way the air feels around here. It feels heavy with... with." She said, trying to figure out what word would work best to describe how she felt, but found none.

"What you're feeling is magic, Anira." Thorin said impatiently as he jumped down from the cart and looked around. He wondered if the man was home, but had no idea. He walked through the tall grass and thick bushes slowly, careful not to disrupt any of the creatures that lived within them. There were a few birds who flew away quickly, and a rabbit or two who also did their best to flee.

"Thorin, where are you going?" Anira called from the cart nervously.

"Come with me, Anira. This is the home of Ratagast. He is a wizard and the same man who married Markus and your sister in the dead of night." He explained, calling back towards her. He was starting to get aggravated with her and her distrust of him. She was going to need to learn to follow his orders if this was ever going to work. She could not be so needy and unsure of herself once they got to the Blue Mountains. The dwarvish women would tear her to shreds if she behaved like this.

Anira did not wait to be told a second time. She lowered herself from the cart and nearly stumbled. The ground beneath her feet was so soft and squishy beneath her feet. She was so used to having nothing but stones and hard, packed dirt to walk upon at home. She whined nervously as she hurried after Thorin, trying to walk carefully so that she would not crush any of the flowers growing. She placed her hands upon his shoulders nervously when she finally caught up to him. She could feel him tense, obviously annoyed with her behavior. She wanted to be better but she could not help it. This world she was entering was so different than her own. She understood nothing of this world, but Thorin did. He was the only anchor she could hold onto and hated it.

He placed a hand on hers, patting tenderly before pushing her hand away from him. He took another step and knocked on the door. The whole house seemed to rattle as he did so. He did not feel like he knocked that hard, but then again, he did not know his own strength most of the time.

"Hold on just a moment!" A rather squeaky, male voice called from inside of the old, tattered home. Within a few moments, the door swung open and there stood a rather elderly man, with long brown hair and a long brown beard, both of which were scraggly and unclean. He had a dried stream of bird droppings down the right side of his face, but he did not seem to mind it at all or even notice it. His eyes were large and blue, and Anira found herself thinking that they almost looked like ice upon a frozen lake.

"Are you Ratagast?" Thorin asked with a stern voice, his hand resting upon the hilt of his sword, just incase something were to go wrong.

"I am." The man squeaked nervously as he looked at the two strangers. "Who on earth are you?" He asked, a look of confusion and fright upon his face.

"We are here because Markus of Merdok told us that you dwell here in the woods. The ruler of the city has recently passed on to the world of the dead. We are in search of a marriage union ritual, if you are able to perform one for us. We would pay you generously for your services." Thorin explained sternly.

"We are not going to harm you, please do not be so afraid." Anira interjected with a sweet tone as she grabbed Thorin's arm and pulled his hand away from his sword tenderly.

Ratagast looked passed Thorin and looked up at her, a small smile crossing his lips for a brief moment before he stopped. His eyes were still wide, but he did seem to be a little less on edge. Anira could not help but to look at his tattern and torn brown robes that he wore. He was absolutely a humble being. She had no idea what it would be like to live under such conditions. Her family had always been wealthy and given her anything she had ever wanted.

"You... You two wish to marry?" Ratagast asked with confusion in his voice. "I do not believe that there is any marriage ceremony that is accepted by elves or dwarves that will allow you two to be married in the eyes of either of your people." Ratagast said, his voice uneven as he spoke to them.

"What is he saying, Thorin?" Anira asked nervously, her eyes wide with worry as she grabbed his arm with both hands, holding on tightly.

"He's saying what I already knew. Dwarvish ceremony will not allow me to take an elvish woman as a bride. Nor will Elvish ceremony allow you to marry a dwarf in the eyes of your people." Thorin said angrily as he pulled his arm out of her reach. "You need to calm your emotions and quit acting like a child." He snapped angrily, turning to look at her out of the corner of his eye, but he would not fully face her. Anira stared at him in shock as she took a couple of steps back and held her hands down at her sides. She gripped her skirt with both hands to keep sure that she would not reach out for him again.

"I already know that our people will not accept our union. I also know that there are rituals that know no boundaries. Anira does not have any elvish kin, not that anyone knows of. My line is all but destroyed except for my sister and her two children." Thorin explained. "There has to be at least one ceremony for one race that will allow us to be together. I do not care what the rest of our people think, as long as our union is sacred to Anira and myself, that is all that matters." He said sternly.

Anira could not help but to smile as he spoke to the wizard. He had a short temper, true, but his heart was pure and his intentions were honorable. She did feel a sense of guilt when he said he was willing to be disowned by his people just to marry her. She did not want that to happen to him, especially not for her. She looked up at Ratagast again and he had a look of deep thought upon his face before he raised his hand, a finger pointed out as he smiled.

"There is a ceremony I can think of that does not have any boundaries!" Ratagast said excitedly as he looked at them. "As long as you have a ring for your bride, I have the other necessary items for the union. You both, wait right here while I go fetch what is needed." He said hurriedly before he hurried back into his little home, shutting the door behind himself.

Thorin let out a deep, aggravated sigh as he turned around and looked up at Anira. She leaned down and tenderly kissed him upon the lips before he had a chance to say anything to her. He was taken by surprise and broke the kiss quickly, still slightly upset with her.

"I am sorry, Thorin." She said tenderly. "I do know that I have been behaving very childishly ever since we left home. I do not mean to, but I can not help it. Any time I went anywhere new, I always had someone with me. I have never been so far from home and felt so unbelievably alone."

"I do not mean to make you feel alone." Thorin said quietly as he reached up and placed a large hand on her cheek, stroking her skin with his thumb tenderly. "I am so used to traveling with no one with me. It will take a bit of adjusting for me to learn to not get mad when you hang on to me."

"I will try to be more independent. It's just so frightening out here in the real world. Everything is so beautiful and I know that within these woods there are monsters who lurk in the shadows." She said nervously.

"I will keep you safe, no matter the cost. I promised you before that I would lay down my very life for you. I would end my own life if it would spare yours."

"I do not ask that much of you, Thorin. I wish I knew what it would take to give up my immortality, to live a mortal life, with you. I could not bear to live without you for the rest of eternity." Anira said quietly as she leaned down and kissed him upon the lips again. This time, he kissed her back. He placed both of his hands on the back of her neck and made sure to kiss her deeply. Each time she attempted to break the kiss, he would layer gentle kisses upon her lips until he could feel her smile against his lips. He did not mean to get so angry at her, or make her feel upset, but he could not help the man he had become through all of the hard years of survival.

"You two have already done the majority of the ritual without me." Ratagast said with a smile from the doorway. He held a dented copper mug filled with red liquid in his left hand, and a small brown bag in his right hand. His tall, wooden staff was resting within the crook of his left arm as he smiled at them.

"What are you talking about?" Anira asked with a laugh, standing up straight again.

"You have already come up with your vows and said them perfectly to one another. All that remains is that you both drink from the grail." He said hurriedly, handing the cup to Thorin.

Thorin took the cup in a large hand and looked at it skeptically before looking back at Ratagast. The wizard had his eyes closed and was reciting some kind of incantation under his breath. It was not any language that Thorin had heard before. This whole situation made him feel uneasy, but he knew that Markus would not have sent them to Ratagast if it was not safe. The air around them began to shift and get cooler, more comfortable as they stood and listened to the wizard.

Thorin took a deep breath before raising the liquid to his lips and taking a small drink. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself. It was a red wine that was sweet but left a dry feeling in the mouth. He handed the grail to Anira, who took it in eager hands and took a much larger drink than Thorin had. She stood nervously and looked over at Thorin, not sure exactly how any of this worked or what was next. She continued to hold the empty grail in her right hand, not sure if she should set it down or hand it back to Ratagast, who was lost in his words. She did not want to disrespect his magic or cause the ceremony to be nullified because of her neglegence. Ratagast reached into the small brown pouch and took out a hand full of some kind of dust that looked silvery and shimmered in the sunlight. He lifted it to his lips and blew it at the both of them. Thorin flinched slightly, disliking the fact that he was covered in shimmering dust. Anira giggled, wondering how much of the ceremony was left before they would officially be wed.

Ratagast opened his eyes as soon as he stopped speaking. He smiled at the both of them before reaching out and quickly snatching the grail from Anira and holding it close to his chest.

"You need to give her your ring, and then you are wed." Ratagast said excitedly as he looked at the creatures before him. He thought it was so intriguing that an elf and a dwarf would want to marry, despite all of the customs of their own people. The magic of love was one he would never understand no matter how long he lived on this green earth.

"This ring... Belonged to my mother." Thorin said nervously as he reached inside of his shirt and took out a large ring from a secret pocket.

The ring was absolutely beautiful. There were three, thick bands of silver that were woven together like a braid. They twisted around the large, blue stone in the center of the ring. Anira did not know what kind of a stone it was, but it was a deep blue and shimmered like a star. It reminded her of a clear, midnight sky. Thorin grabbed her left hand and slid the ring upon her marriage finger, but it very obviously did not fit and would not fit. It was at least two sizes too big, but that was to be expected. Dwarves had much larger hands than elves, even the women.

Anira did not seem to mind, or even notice that the ring did not fit her. She was so engulfed in the beauty that she could not look away for several moments. When she did, she looked at Thorin with a bright smile as she leaned down and kissed him tenderly upon the lips once again. She was blushing in her excitement as she did so.

Thorin placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her back, opening his mouth to bite her lower lip playfully. She squeaked in surprise and then giggled as she bit his lip right back, tugging playfully before she finally managed to break the kiss. She was breathless from her excitement and her laughter by the time she managed to pull away and stand up straight. She looked towards the door and a brighter blush crossed her cheeks instantly. She realized that Ratagast had been standing there, propped up by his staff as he watched them. He had a look of lovesickness upon his face as he watched them. She felt slightly embarassed for getting carried away and completely forgetting that he was standing here. Thorin laughed quietly, finding the whole situation to be rather humerus.

"There is no one better for either of you than each other." Ratagast said with a small smile, still seeming to be in some sort of a daze.

"Thank you." Anira said sweetly as she bowed her head respectfully.

"We appreciate you helping us. I am sure that not many would have shown such kindness and understanding for our perdicament." Thorin said with a low voice. "What would you feel is appropriate payment for your services?" He asked as he reached inside of his shirt to grab his coin bag.

"The only payment I require is a promise. I need you both to promise me that you will not give up on one another, no matter what the situation. Do not undo the magic that I have bound you with." Ratagast said as he stood up straighter, the dazed look leaving his face. The wide eyes full of nervousness were returning and Anira felt that it was now time to leave this place. She closed her left hand into a fist to keep the ring from falling off. Until she got a ring that fit, she would wear this one around her neck on a necklace, if Thorin would allow it.

"We promise that we will not give up." Anira said sweetly as she looked at him. Thorin nodded in agreement but did not say a word. He suddenly found himself wondering what kind of hardships he was agreeing to. Wizards always knew much more than they let on and he was concerned that perhaps he and Anira were not going to be as good for one another as they had previously hoped.

Thorin grabbed her hand tenderly in his own and turned from the wizards house and began walking back to the cart. The horses stood in the same place, their heads lowered as they ate some of the flowers and weeds that were growing abundantly around them. Thorin helped Anira onto the front bench of the cart before walking around to the other side and pulling himself up with little effort. It seemed easier now, like he was not weighed down as much as he had been. What kind of magic had Ratagast used? He felt like they should have asked more questions or been more patient, but the wizard did seem to have a few screws loose.

"Where are we off to now, Thorin?" Anira asked excitedly as she looked over at him. Thorin grabbed the reins and started the horses. The cart began to move with less of a jerk this time. The soft ground made it a little harder for the horses to start pulling, to the cart was moving very slowly instead of in a lunge like before.

"I think that there is a small village of men a few miles to the south of here. I figured that he would rest there for a few days, perhaps trade for some supplies that would help us endure the winter, should we not reach warmer lands before the snow begins to fall." Thorin explained with a small smile. "From there, it all depends on circumstances. If we get caught by the winter, we will find somewhere to stay until spring arrives once again."

"I think that either way, our travels are going to be enjoyable." She said optimistically.

"I feel as though we should reach the Blue Mountains by next fall at the latest. Perhaps midsummer if we are not stopped by the snow and cold."

"Will you teach me what you can about dwarves before we arrive?"

"Teach you about dwarves?" Thorin asked with a small laugh, looking over at her. "What exactly do you want to know?"

"Anything you can tell me. I know extremely little about your kind. I know that you're all skilled miners and craftsmen. I know that you are all shorter than men or elves, never reaching even five feet tall." She said nervously as she continued to try and think about what she knew. "I have heard rumors that your women have beards, but no one has ever been able to confirm that." She said with a small giggle.

"Do you think it's funny that our women have beards?" Thorin asked, slightly annoyed with her.

"I just... I have never seen a woman with a beard and feel as though it may look a little strange to me at first." Anira explained, trying her very best not to disrespect him or his kind.

"Well, I'm sure they are going to laugh at you when you arrive too." Thorin snapped sharply, not looking over at her. "It has been years since elves came anywhere near my kin, not after Thranduil abandon us when Smaug desolated our homeland." He said bitterly.

"I did not mean to offend you, Thorin." She said quietly as she looked down at her hands again, trying to show her submissiveness to his will.

"I do not care what you meant. You did offend, Anira." He said coldly as he focused on the road ahead of them.

There was silence between them then, until the sun was setting in the sky and the air was starting to cool with the first signs of evening. She felt so uncomfortable sitting next to him in such an eerie silence. The part that bothered her the most was the name he had mentioned earlier. He mentioned something about an elf named Thranduil. That name sounded so familiar to her and she could not place why. She found herself wondering if he was one of the elves she had known before her mother gave her up to be raised by Krystoff. Surely she had to have parents who were elvish, but who were they? She fear that she may never know who her real parents were, not in her lifetime.

"I think we should stop here for the night." Thorin said sternly as he lead the horses into some thick tree's. The dense woods around their cart kept it almost completely hidden in the darkness and shadows. Thorin jumped down from the cart and began to untie the horses from the cart. He was going to tie them both to a near by tree for the night so that they would not run off.

"I shall get our beds ready." Anira said quietly as she got down from the cart.

"No, just get yours ready." Thorin said sternly. "I'm going to stay awake and keep watch, make sure that nothing happens to our horses."

"But Thorin, you need rest."

"I will rest once the sun begins to rise. I suspect that you will be awake by then. You can prepare the horses and prepare food for us before we start off in the morning again. Do you think you can handle that?" Thorin called sternly as he turned and looked back at her with cold, blue eyes.

Anira stared at him in surprise and bit her tongue so that she would not speak back to him. She only nodded her head in agreement before she walked around the back of the cart and let herself in. She shut the door behind her, locking it from the inside. She did not want to give him the option to change his mind after the way he had just spoken to her. What on earth was wrong with him? One moment, he tells her she needs to be strong and independent, not always clinging onto him. The next moment he is treating her like she is more of a slave than a wife.

She pulled out her bed and propped it up, making sure that the wood was very sturdy before she laid down a couple of blankets. She laid beneath them, not even bothering to change her clothes, there was no point now. She curled up into a little ball and sniffled as tears began to sting her eyes again. The elvish man's name would not leave her mind, nor would Thorin's cruel words.

She was beginning to think that this marriage was a terrible, terrible mistake.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Safe and Sound

Anira was awake very early the next morning, though reluctantly. She woke up, shivering with cold, despite the fact that she was beneath all of her blankets and furs. She lay there, looking up at the ceiling for a few moments, breathing deeply. She could see nothing in the blackness of the caravan except her own breathing. Her breath left her lips and appeared to be very fog like because of its heat against the cold morning air. Her blankets were so warm and comforting. She felt as though they were pinning her down, trying to keep her within her bed for as long as they possibly could.

After a few minutes, she sighed and finally sat up. She reached across the caravan and grabbed her leather pack. She flipped the large flap open and pulled out her thickest cloak. It was very well worn in, a dark gray that had once been black. The fibers were rather scratchy, seeing as it was made of wool, but she did not mind. She threw it over her shoulders and clasped it around her neck so that it would stay on. Within a few moments, it warmed up around her and she decided she would brave the cold. She stood up and groaned when she realized she was still wearing her shoes. Had she really been so upset that she forgot to take her shoes off before bed? She took a couple of steps to cross the small caravan before she unlocked the door with trembling fingers. She braced herself with a deep breath before she pushed the door open. The air outside was not much colder, but there was a wind that whipped something fierce. She stepped out and trembled, shutting the wooden door behind herself, locking it without a second thought. She wrapped her arms around herself, closing her cloak as best she could as she walked around towards the front of the caravan.

She was pleased to see that both of their horses were still tied to their tree. Thorin had put blankets on them during the night to keep them from getting too cold. They slept next to each other, leaning against one another to keep warm. She sighed for a moment before she continued looking around. She could not see Thorin anywhere. This made her nervous. She could hear her heart beating, it sounded like thunder in her ears.

"Thorin?" She called softly, hot air forming a cloud as it left her lips. She waited for a response and was answered with only silence. She was growing more and more concerned as she looked around for him. She turned around in one spot, looking in every direction frantically, but she could see no movement or sign of life.

Tears swelled in her eyes before her legs gave out beneath her. She

trembled as the frost coated grass melted against her skin. She trembled with cold as her dress became damp around her knees. She wiped her tears from her eyes with a trembling hand. She did not want her tears to freeze to her face. What on earth was she going to do now? Thorin had convinced her to leave her home just so he could abandon her within the woods. She could hardly believe that any living being could be so cruel.

"Anira." She heard a voice whisper hurriedly. She gasped and raised her head to look around. Everything was so hard to see. The sun had not yet come up and everything looked to be the same shade of navy blue. The moon and stars could not even be seen through the dense leafs of

the trees above her.

"Thorin?" She called softly as she slowly stood up, still trying to focus on her surroundings. She still could not see him, or even figure out what direction he had spoken from.

"Anira, climb the closest tree you can reach, right now. Do not question me." Thorin said quietly, his voice barely being heard.

Anira only nodded in compliance and did not ask a single question. She was very curious as to what he was talking about, but she decided to trust him. Though she wondered why he would not answer her sooner than he had.

She hurried towards the tree closest to herself. It was a tall, moss covered tree. The branches went in every direction like roots growing towards the sky instead of into the ground. She grabbed a low branch and swung her body weight, skillfully lifting herself into the tree. She climbed up another branch or two before stopping and looking around.

She could see Thorin through the darkness, about 3 tree's away from herself. He lifted a finger to his lips as if to tell her to be silent. She nodded nervously as she looked at him. What on earth was going on? And now did he get into the tree?

That's when she heard them. She could hear voices of men as they approached. They were laughing and yelling vulgar profanities at one another as they drew ever closer. Her eyes went wide as she looked over at Thorin. She was absolutely terrified. If he thought it a good idea to stay out of the sight of these men, then obviously it was a good idea.

"Are you sure you saw a cart come this way? I feel like we 'ave been walking for hours! At this rate, we will no' catch them before sun up!" One of the men whined childishly. His voice was very irritating and unpleasing to Anira's ears. He sounded like a child who was not getting his way. She thought that he must be a rather indignant man.

"Keep yer voice down." A man with a deeper voice snapped back sharply. Anira could hear the crack of skin against skin before the indignant man let out a

small cry of pain. "I know that I saw them come this way. There was a dwarf man and an extremely young woman with him." The deeper voice said angrily. "You shoulda' seen her too. Not even a young woman yet, I think the dwarf with her was more of a body guard." He said with a grunting laugh. "No woman who looks like tha' would ever chose to give herself to a dwarf."

"You make it sound like you don' believe she's been touched at all." The indignant man said, his voice obviously excited now. She could hear their footsteps quicken, getting even closer. She rose her hand to cover her mouth to keep from making any sound in her fear. She did not want them to hear her.

"I don' think she 'as been touched, lad." The man said with a laugh.

They sounded so close now, practically beneath her. Anira forced herself to look down and immediately regret it. The two men were standing right under her. She was only about two or three branches above them. Her heart raced but she held still. She knew that she could not climb the tree silently to get any higher. She could not make out their looks clearly in the darkness. All she could tell was that one man seemed to be much older, his gray hair standing out in the darkness. She rose her gaze and looked back over to Thorin, who looked infuriated. She had not thought much of it, but their words had been rather offensive to her new husband.

"I can see their cart, pa." The indignant man said with an excited whisper. Anira did not

want them to steal any of their supplies, but she also did not want to reveal herself. She had absolutely no experience with fighting on any level.

"Shut up, lad. Means they're close." The gray haired man whispered, elbowing the indignant man in the ribs. The indignant man groaned quietly in pain before he continued to take a few steps forward.

"Their horses are still here, so they must not have gotten far."

"Perhaps they are in the cart, if he's not 'er body guard... I am sure he would love to take a piece of 'er."

"Good thinking." The indignant man said with a sort of wicked snicker before he took a few steps closer to the cart. Anira was disgusted by the minds of these men, though, she knew that Thorin had to have had the same thoughts about her, though, perhaps not quiet as meaningless. She looked over at him again and could feel the blood leave her face. She could see him much clearer now, which worried her. The sun was rising passed the trees and it would not be long now until the cruel men below could see them within the tree's.

She looked towards the sunrise and thought that if it were under other circumstances, that the sunrise would be beautiful. The sun glowed a brilliant orange, looking like a blazing fire through the dense forest. The sky was beautiful shades of pink and yellow, only magnifying the affect of fire through the distance.

"Pa, the door is locked." The indignant man whined pathetically. Anira could hear him tugging on the door handle in the distance. Anira smiled to herself proudly. She had not even realized she locked the door, but she was glad she did.

"Quit tuggin' on it like tha'!" The older man growled quietly. Anira could hear him hit the younger man again. How could anyone be that cruel? She could not imagine any father treating his child in such a way. Sure, Krystoff was a terrible parent, but he never struck them, no matter what they did.

"Do you suppose they went to Osterberg?" The indignant man asked quietly.

"They very well may have lad." The older man said sternly. "You stay here with their cart. If they come back, claim you are lost and that you need to find your way home." He said hurriedly. "I will head to Osterberg and see if the inn keeper has any new guests as of last night. You are not to leave this spot no matter what. Do you understand?"

"What if they come back and try to leave..?"

"They won't be any hurry, but if they are, stall 'em. Find some reason that they need to stay here longer." The elder man said sternly as he turned and walked hurriedly into the woods.

Anira could see much better now, but she was not afraid of the indignant man. The older man was the one who frightened her. She could no longer hear the man walking away, so she assumed he was out of sight. The only sound that was left was the quiet, nervous breathing of the indignant man.

Anira looked over at Thorin, who was completely focused on the man beneath them. He was about five tree's away from her, and she could see just how tired he looked. She wondered how long he had been up in the tree and how long ago he knew of them. Then her face grew hot with a sudden rage. Why had he not woken her up if he thought they were in danger? Had he planned to just hide in his tree while they ravaged her and stole their supplies? He was lucky he

was so far away, or she would have punched him as hard as she could.

Thorin placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, gripping tightly. Anira's eyes went wide as she watched him. He planned to kill this young man! He was no more a villain than herself, how could Thorin see it fit to kill him?

"H-hello.." Anira called down softly, looking down at the indignant man, trembling slightly. She did not know if exposing herself was a good idea, but she could not just let this man-child get killed while already so nervous to just be alone in the woods.

Thorin froze and looked over at her, a look of fury in his eyes. He looked as though he wanted to yell at her and then she raised a finger to her lips, silencing him. He seemed to understand her goals then and only nodded. He released his sword and leaned back against the tree, watching her carefully.

"Who is there?" The indignant man demanded, his voice squeaking with fright. He drew out a small dagger and held it out in a defensive position, but his whole arm was shaking as he looked around.

"I.. I did not mean to frighten you." Anira said softly, her voice sounded soft and soothing as it carried down to him. She was trying to use her best motherly tone so that he would be less likely to feel threatened and attack her.

"Who is there?" He demanded, his voice cracking awkwardly as he continued to look around frantically.

"It's just me.. I.. I'm the girl that was on the cart with the Dwarf." She said nervously as she lowered herself down a branch. She snapped a twig as she stepped down and the Indignant man looked up to face her instantly.

He was not a man at all, he was only a boy. He could not have been even seventeen years of age. He was very tall and scrawny, looking like nothing but skin and bones. His cheeks were hollow and his skin had an almost grayish hue to it. The cheeks were void of any blood and his eyes were yellowing. She thought his iris' were a gray color, but it was so hard to tell against the dull yellow. He looked tired, no. He looked absolutely exhausted, as if he had not actually had a decent night sleep in weeks. The mop of brown hair atop his head had scabs of blood and flakes of mud that made him look even more neglected.

"Where is the Dwarf?" He demanded as he stepped closer to her and put his dagger back on his belt. She lowered herself down another branch and the man reached an arm up to help her down. She smiled nervously as she grabbed his hand and jumped down from the branch. She pretended to stumble and fall against his chest. She trembled with cold as she looked up at him, forcing tears to come to her eyes as she shook her head.

"I.. I don't know where he went! He left sometime in the night." She whined pathetically as a tear slid down her rosy, wind burned cheek. "He said something about wanting to find a decent place to have the company of a woman... He said that I am worthless to him because I do not know how to pleasure a man." She said as she began to sob against his chest, holding his shirt tightly in her hands. She did her best not to gag as she held him. He smelled like sweat and death and it made her feel queazy.

Her act was obviously working on the young man, for he wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair with trembling hands.

"That is why I am here." He said nervously before clearing his throat and continuing. "My father and I thought that maybe you were a slave to the dwarf and we were going to try and rescue you. He went to town looking for him and we are supposed to wait for my father to come back before we go anywhere."

"I pray he comes back before the dwarf! You are correct, I am his slave." She whimpered, trying to go along with this act as best she could. She felt so guilty lying to him. She did not like deceiving people for any reason, even if she knew she needed to.

"How did a dwarf aquire such a beautiful slave?" He asked quietly as he pulled away from her, placing a hand beneath her chin to have her look up at him. She whimpered and followed his command, tears still in her lovely green eyes. He looked less tired now, like just being near someone who did not hurt him was helping his health.

"My father was a cruel man with a massive gambling debt." She sniffled sadly. "He owed the dwarf more money than he could ever pay off, so my father gave me to him as payment." She said nervously. She shifted her eyes very slightly to see if Thorin was still in the tree. To her amazement, he was not in the tree anymore. She had not heard him get down or move about at all. He really was much stealthier than she could have guessed.

"I also have a cruel father." He said quietly. "He ran from his debt, which is why we now travel through the woods and scavenge what ever we can for supplies." He said with a tender smile. It broke Anira's heart for him to speak to her in such a kind manner. She knew that she was nothing but a lie and that he was only trying to comfort her.

"Scavenge, or steal?" Thorin's voice came, deep and angry as he came into Anira's view. He was standing behind the young man, his sword against his back. The boys eyes went wide as he felt the blade against his back. He released Anira immediately and shoved her away. She gasped and cried out as she stumbled backwards, managing to catch herself before she hit the ground.

"Hurry, run, while you can!" The indignant man shouted hurriedly. Anira just stood there, tears streaming down her face as she looked at him. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself nervously, feeling ashamed of herself. She felt dirty, like she needed to soak in a hot bath and scrub her skin raw.

"I... I can not run. He is not my owner, he is my husband." Anira said with a sad smile before she wiped the tears away from her face. The indignant man stared at her with a horrified look before his own eyes filled with tears of rage.

"How dare you trick me! You horrible, spiteful little witch!" He screamed at her.

"Now lad, do not speak to my wife that way." Thorin said angrily as he poked the boy in the back with his sword, not enough to hurt him, but enough to be a threat.

"Thorin, do not hurt him." Anira demanded as she looked at her husband.

Thorin glared at her, obviously rather aggravated with the way she had spoken about him only a few minutes earlier. "I do not think this man wants to hurt us. I think his father made him do it..." She hissed angrily, trembling in her own aggravation.

"They were going to rob us!" Thorin shouted angrily.

"But they did not! This young man held me as I cried and promised to keep me safe from you when he thought I needed it. You think that he was pretending just as much as I? Because I think that he was truthful!" She said, trembling with rage as she looked at him. "Lower your

weapon, Thorin. Let him go."

"How dare you raise your voice to me." Thorin said bitterly as he lowered his weapon and slid the sword back into the scabbard on his belt. "What do you suggest we do, my slave-queen?" He said with a bitter laugh.

"I suggest..." She said nervously. "We give him some of our supplies-"

"Are you completely mad!" Thorin demanded loudly as he pushed the boy aside and stepped closer to her, glaring up at her. "Why on earth would we do something like that?"

"Because we are going to treat people better than we have been treated." She said quietly as she looked down at him.

Thorin stared up at her angrily for a few moments before finally, the hate left his eyes and was replaced with a kind of sad pity. He nodded his head in agreement with her before trying to smile. She smiled down at him and kissed him tenderly on the forehead before she looked over at the indignant man. He had a look of horror and pain upon his thin face.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly, taking a step towards him and reaching for him with a trembling hand.

That was when his body collapsed against the ground with a soft thud against the forest floor. Anira just stared in shock, her mouth agape as she looked upon the horror. The young mans back was bleeding out, staining his shirt and making the air stink of iron. She hoped that the smell of blood would not always make her feel sick. The elder man was standing in his place, holding a long, bloody sword that looked as though it had seen many a battle. It was rusty, with rough edges and looked decades old.

The man looked old, but well fed. He did not look to be in anywhere near as poor of health as his son had been. He was a short, stout man, with a thick, gray beard that was neatly brushed against his chest. He laughed, a cold, dark hearted laugh as he looked at her with deep blue eyes. His teeth were a nasty, sickening yellowish-brown as he smiled at her.

"I always knew that my son was weak, but I never thought he would fall so fast for the face of a pretty woman." He laughed with a sigh as he stepped over the mans body, coming towards her. Anira whimpered and took a step back from him. Her arms were trembling, but not with fear, but with anger.

"How could you kill your own son!" She screamed angrily as she leaned down and grabbed a heavy tree branch near her feet. It was long and thick as her arm, if not longer. She lifted it like a bat and swung at the man blindly. He rose his sword to defend himself, and Anira caught him in the wrist. He howled in pain as his sword went flying off to the side and stuck into a tree. He stared at Anira with wide eyes for a few moments. He took a step back and nearly tripped over the corpse that lay upon the ground. He rose his hands slightly in a silent surrender, but Anira did not seem to notice.

"You are a terrible, cruel man who never deserved to be a father! How dare you kill your own child!" She screamed in a fury as she swung the branch again, catching him in the right shoulder. She could hear his bone crack beneath her swing. He cried out in pain again, but she did not stop or back away from him. Tears of anger streamed down her face now as she continued to swing her branch at the man. She caught him twice in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards. He fell down onto his back right beside his son and coughed, groaning in pain as he laid against

the plush forest floor. He was wheezing just to breath and every breath looked like it took a great. Pain contorted his face to make him look even uglier than he already was, or perhaps it was the way his face was swelling from being hit. A small trickle of blood began to form at the corner of his mouth and it slowly dripped down the side of his face, running into his hair. Anira stepped over him, trembling as she raised her branch and lifted it above her head. Her arms were trembling now and her eyes were still wild with animal instinct as she looked down at the ugly man. She was going to hit him one last time and crush his skull, but her arms were grabbed before she could finish her swing.

"Anira, stop!" Thorin shouted as he forced her arms down, ripping the log from her grasp. She glared at him angrily, trembling, not noticing that her hands were bleeding. She could not feel the pain. She could not feel anything at all. The bark had dug into her palms with the force of which she held her weapon. "He's already going to die, you have broken many of his bones. The injuries will kill him." Thorin said with a stern voice as he held her hands within his own, trying to make her shaking stop. "It would be too merciful to bash his skull in. Do you want to kill him so quickly that he does not have enough time to think about the wrongs he has done to deserve this?" He asked quietly as he lifted her hands to his lips and tenderly kissed her wounded palms. He did not mind the taste of her blood, or the sap from the pine tree. He knew that she was hurting and as much as he wanted to see her kill this man, he knew that it would only make her feel worse about herself. He wanted to make her pain go away, even if it meant sparing this horrible creature's life, even if just for the time being.

"You are right..." Anira whispered quietly as she leaned down and kissed Thorin tenderly, her lips trembling against his own as she began to cry again.

"I know I am... Now... I'm going to drag him to the river, where maybe someone might find him..." Thorin said tenderly, kissing her eyelids gently before smiling at her. "You hook the horses up to the cart so that we can leave as soon as I come back. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a good plan." Anira said with a sad smile before she opened her eyes and looked at him again. "Thorin..?"

"Yes..?" He said quietly, resting his forehead against hers.

"Why did you not wake me when you thought men were trying to find us...?" She asked quietly. She did not want to offend him, but this question had plagued her ever since she climbed up the tree.

"They were not here to hurt you. The young man wanted to rescue you from me... And the elder man just wanted to kill me and take what ever treasure I had in the caravan. I knew that you would not be hurt. I had assumed they may try to use you as bait to lure me back here... I did not think they would have hurt you, or I would never have left you alone."

"You have so much more faith in people than I do..." She said with a sad smile, feeling guilty again. She had not even let the old man say more than one sentence before she attacked him. She was truly a foolish girl. "I assumed you had left me to die here when I could not find you..." She said with a guilty tone before looking at him sheepishly. "How do you hold out so much hope for those around you?"

"I will be honest, I never have. I have been betrayed by so many people in my lifetime that I

always see the worst in people, or at least, I did." He said with a tender smile before stroking her hair. "Then I met you... The elves have left me with the most painful memories of betrayal, but you are not them... I will not judge the entire race on the actions of a few." He said sweetly before finally releasing her. "Now, go hook up the horses..." He said with a small laugh.

Anira nodded and turned away from him to do the task as he had requested. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing, but she was going to do her best to learn it on her own. She wanted so badly to be equal with her husband, but that was going to take a lot of time and a lot of learning. She did not realized how sheltered she was until she entered the real world. She hoped Thorin would be patient with her.

Thorin turned back to the man on the ground and sighed deeply before stepping closer. The elder man was not breathing anymore and he let out a silent sigh of relief. He wanted to keep Anira thinking he was going to live, so that she would not guilt herself over the death of an awful man. He knelt down and touched the mans arms and chest with just a little pressure. He was trying to assess the damage that had been done to the man. It was hard to be so close to the corpse, it stank of days of sweat and travel. He and his son must not have had their own home. Though he was not a medical expert, he could tell that the man had at least a broken collar bone, a shattered shoulder blade and an entirely crushed rib cage. No wonder he had died so swiftly. Anira had made sure that he was nothing but broken bones and oozing blood within a sack of flesh. Even in her rage, she did not want him to suffer the way he should.

Thorin stood up and grabbed the man by his ankles, dragging him away from the cart. He groaned with the effort, for the man was at least three times his weight. He continued to drag the body for about thirty yards before his boots splashed into the river. He laid the man down neatly, with his arms crossed over his chest. The sand beneath him was soft and warm, making him look even more hideous against its loveliness. He splashed water onto the mans face and wiped away the blood before rinsing his hands off in the river. He wanted to make sure that the man at least kind of looked presentable for his journey to the afterlife. Though he did not approve of this man or his actions, he thought that at least some kind of ritual was necessary. He could not just leave a corpse to rot in the woods. He stood up slowly and groaned as he stretched his back out and cracking his neck. He returned to their caravan swiftly and grabbed the body of the younger man, following the same procedure as he dragged the body towards the river. Once he was satisfied that they were presentable, he made sure that both of their eyelids were closed before taking a few copper coins out of his pouch on his belt. He placed a coin on each of their eyelids before he stood up again. He looked down at both of them and only let out a deep sigh as he shook his head. They looked peaceful now, even if battered and bruised. He hoped that perhaps god would have mercy and peace is what they might find in the afterlife.

"We have only been traveling for one day and already, two men are dead." He said quietly to himself before he turned and walked back to the cart to check on Anira. The walk back was much more peaceful now. The sun was visible over the tops of the trees in the distance and it filled the area with a warming glow. It was nice to be able to see the lovely environment around him for a change. He hoped that Anira would not be confused as to how to do her task. He had only just then remembered that she had not hooked horses up to carts before. He expected her to be struggling when he finally arrived back.

He was pleasantly surprised with how fast she had worked. She was securing the last couple of leather straps around the horses when she came into view. He stood at a distance and just watched her for a few moments, smiling to himself as he did so. She was whispering to the horses, giggling to herself as if they were having lovely conversations together. For all he knew, they very well could be. He knew that elves possessed natural abilities to understand animals. Though, he did not know if this was something they had to learn or not. She would stroke their necks or tenderly pet them on their noses as she moved about so gracefully. He found himself smiling and wondering what he had done in this word to deserve such a gentle heart. She was just a beautiful young girl and it made him wonder if she would be willing to give up her immortal life to be with him. He would not dare ask it of her. He only wanted her to be with him if she wanted to. It was her choice if she would die with him, or live through all of the ages with her own kind.

Anira looked up and smiled as she saw Thorin in the distance. She was absolutely beautiful and looked as though she had never been crying. No one would think by looking at her that she had killed a man with no more than a branch from a pine tree. He walked back to their cart slowly and began to inspect her work.

"You have done a good job." Thorin said with a smile as he pulled on the leather straps, making sure she had secured them tightly. She had and it made him rather proud that she could learn tasks so quickly. She had not even had to ask him for help or for guidance.

"Thank you." Anira said quietly as she looked down. "I named our horses, while you were gone..." She said with a childish smile.

"Oh, have you?" Thorin asked, raising his eyebrows as he gave her a playful smile. "What are their names, Anira?"

"The boy is Onyx and the girl is Basalt." She said, feeling rather proud of herself.

"I like those names." He said gently before wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He was about a foot shorter than she was, so he rested his forehead against her back for a few moments before giving a gentle squeeze and letting go.

"Alright. Everything else is still within the caravan, so we can leave as soon as you are ready to go." He said quietly.

"I would like to leave these woods as quickly as possible. All I can smell is blood and it is making me feel very sick." Anira admit softly before she hurried and pulled herself up onto the bench of the caravan, waiting patiently as she looked at him. Thorin followed her quickly and sat next to her with a smile as he grabbed the reins.

"Thorin... Can you teach me how to fight with a sword?" She asked suddenly.

"I have seen you fight with a tree branch. I feel as though it would not be in my favor if you were to know how to wield a sword." Thorin said with a small laugh before the horses started walking. They whinnied and stamped in protest before they began to move the caravan with a small jerk.

"I'm being serious, Thorin. What happens if we encounter a larger group of bad men? or worse, a group of troll or orc?" She whined nervously as she looked at him. "I do not want to be just a burden to you. I wish to know how to fight so that I may help you when you need it."

"Perhaps when we reach the town I could teach you. We will be staying a few days to recover and rest. We can also gather more supplies for the winter. At the rate we are currently

traveling, we will not be far enough south by the time winter is upon us. I plan to see if there is any vacant housing, just so that we can stay safe and content over the bitter months. Either while we are in the town, or our new home, I shall teach you how to use a sword. That also means we need to get you a sword first." He laughed heartedly.

"Do you really mean it, Thorin?" She asked with a rather excited smile.

"Yes, yes, I mean it." He said with a smile before he reached a hand over and placed it upon her thigh, squeezing playfully. She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks as she nervously placed her small hand upon his, tracing her fingers across his knuckles tenderly. Her touch was light against his skin, feeling just like a feather.

"How far are we traveling?" She asked quietly. She had nervousness in her voice as she spoke to him now. She was wondering what he was thinking about when he touched her.

"Not too far, it's the same town that the man had mentioned earlier. It is called Osterberg and it is a very quaint little town. Their homes are not fancy or built out of white stones. They live humble lives, living in sturdy homes made of wood and steel. I have been there a few times before and the people have always been very hospitable. The elderly inn keeper is actually quite funny. She had offered to be my bride a few times, while standing right next to her husband." He said with a deep laugh.

"I suppose that there must be many women who find you rather attractive." She said nervously as she brushed her hair back behind her ears. She felt as though Thorin deserved to have a woman as a husband, not a girl.

"Did you know that male dwarves out number females three to one?" He asked suddenly as he looked over at her. They were nearing the edge of the forest now and Anira could see a large valley before them. The grass was such a brilliant shade of green that it looked like shimmering emeralds in the sunlight. She wondered if it was soft and found herself wanting to run from the cart and go lay in it. She wanted to lay in the grass and bask in the sun for a few moments. To relax just for a moment while on their journey seemed like bliss. She could see a small town in the distance and she assumed it would take nearly all day for them to get there.

"I did not know that." She said quietly as she turned to look at Thorin.

"Dwarves are a mystery to you in so many ways. I knew that from the moment I met you. I feel like now is a good time to help teach you about my people and where I come from." Thorin said tenderly as he took his pipe from his belt. He put it between his lips before lighting it quickly with a match. He took a few breaths before letting out a small puff of smoke as he sighed and got comfortable against the cart.

"Marriage is extremely rare for dwarves. We have very few women and they are almost impossible to find, seeing as all of us have beards." He said with a smile. This made Anira laugh nervously as she looked over at him. She could not tell if he was trying to be funny and did not want to offend him.

"Really? Is marriage rare just because you out number your women?"

"No. It is rare because most dwarfish women choose not to marry. Actually, most dwarves do not chose to marry. My father and my grandfather both had no wives. That is because it is the dwarf women who get to pick their husbands. They must propose to the men and of course the men have the right to accept or deny. If the male denies them, they will not ever chose another

suitor. Most everyone in our race is much more focused on mining and creating than marriage at any rate. That is why marriage is so rare for us. It is not seen as absolutely necessary." He explained tenderly. "Sex before marriage is not frowned upon for us. If with only one person, I may mind you. It is looked at as more of a betrothal. Two dwarves that consumate their love before marriage are just there by known as engaged to one another. They must be absolutely loyal to each other. The only thing that can break the engagement is if one of them dies. At which point, the surviving partner is allowed to take a different partner if they should so choose. Most do not." He explained quietly before blowing out another puff of smoke. Anira loved how much detail he was putting into his explanation to her. It all must have seemed to silly to him, but she loved every word that came out of his mouth.

"If it is the physical act of love that creates engagement, what does a marriage consist of?" She asked excitedly as she scooted closer to him. He laughed and wrapped an arm around her tenderly, placing his hand on her hip.

"Well, the man expands the halls of his home to make room for his bride and all of her kin, so that they all may dwell under the same mountain."

"Her entire family?" She asked, slightly astonished as she stared at him, suddenly thankful that she had no family to accompany her.

"Yes, yes." He laughed. "Her entire family. Both parents of both partners must approve of the marriage and give their blessings before they can proceed any further. While the man expands his halls, the woman designs and creates her own wedding gown. They usually finish near the same time, if not exactly at the same time. There is a ceremony with a respected elder who oversees that their union is legitimate. Then the real fun begins. Every dwarf within the mountain gathers together for a celebration that lasts a full seven days. The halls will all be alight with light, full of music and heavenly smells. We all eat and drink until we can not do anything but lay upon the floor, smoking our pipes." Thorin said with a small laugh. "I was just a young man of about thirty when I last was part of any marriage ceremony. That was still when my grandfather ruled Erebor, before Smaug..." He said quietly. His voice trailed off very quickly then, obviously not wanting to talk about that part of his history, not yet. Anira was not going to push him to talk about it. She only smiled as she leaned against him, tracing her finger across the fur on his cloak. She stayed very quiet for a few moments before she felt Thorin squeeze her tightly. She was deep in thought about what he had said. One question weighed on her mind and she did not know how to ask him. She did not know if she really wanted to know the answer.

"What is wrong? You have gone so quiet. Do you not have questions?" Thorin asked.

"You always made sure to say that it was two dwarves..." She said sadly. "They would not let us wed, would they? I do not fit your customs because I am not a dwarf..." She sighed deeply before she sat up and looked down at her hands. "I wish that I could be a dwarf, if it meant we could be married in the eyes of your people..."

"I would not like you if you were anything but what you are." Thorin said sternly. "I do not care what the rest of my people think of our union. I will not take another bride, no matter what they do to try and convince me I should. I recognize that you are my wife, by the standards of a wizard." He said sternly. "Do not ever want to be anything but what you are." He said with a stern tone before leaning over and kissing her tenderly on her cheek. "You need to promise me."

"I promise, Thorin." She said with a tender smile before she looked over at him. "Are they going to be cruel to me, because I am not a dwarf?" She asked skeptically.

"I do not believe so. They are my kin and would not hurt you. They will know that I am the reason you are with us and they will not harm you with acts nor words. Be warned, we do have a fairly harsh sense of humor. Do not take any of their comments for insults because I know they are not to be meant that way."

"That's a good thing to be aware of." Anira said with a small laugh. "I am so sensitive and I know it. I have never been around people other than my family for any great period of time and I do not know how to interact with others the way that I should. These are things that I would like to learn and that I hope you can help teach me." She said sweetly.

"I have said once before…" Thorin said quietly as he placed a hand on her knee, squeezing softly as he looked over at her. "I do not wish to pressure you to be with me… But my people will not disrupt our union if we consummate our love…" He said quietly as he leaned forward to kiss her tenderly upon the lips.

Anira knew that she was blushing by the heat she felt rising on her cheeks. She trembled and closed her eyes, kissing him back tenderly. She rose her hands and placed her cool fingers against his cheeks for a moment before she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. Thorin let out a small groan, biting her lower lip playfully before he turned and set down his pipe, wrapping both of his arms around her tightly, placing a hand on the back of her head to keep her against him. Anira whimpered against his lips quietly before she finally pulled away from him, placing her hands on his chest as she did so. She kept her eyes closed and took a few deep breaths before she looked at him. She smiled sadly and shook her head nervously.

"I do not think I am quite ready for that, Thorin…" She said nervously, biting her lower lip as she continued to look at him. She was expecting him to get frustrated with her rather quickly at this point. After all, he was her husband. They were legally wed and bound to one another. Any husband would be frustrated with a wife who would not make love with him to seal their union. She also wondered if he had noticed it as she had noticed it.

Since they met, he did not like her in the least. She did not know what changed his mind so quickly. Perhaps it was the way she submit to him without him needing to force her. He seemed to have such a deep resentment for all elves, why on earth would he like an elvish child? He fixed her necklace and had tried to kiss her, out of what she assumed to be lust. She was now confused because of how quickly he had agreed to marry her. Especially once he had explained how rare marriage was for dwarves. Did he really just lust after her so badly that he was willing to be with her for the rest of his life, and then leave her alone for the rest of eternity? She did not want to think of him as such a selfish man, but she did not know what else to think about it all. They had been married only a day, true. They had only known each other for three days, also true. That did not change the fact that he had not said 'I love you', or anything even remotely similar. He was still so emotionally distant and seemed only to want her in the physical form. She wondered if he really cared about her at all, or if she truly was just an object to him.

"I will not force you, or rush you." Thorin said tenderly as he let out a deep sigh. He pulled himself away from her and picked up his pipe from the bench and placed it between his lips, letting out a small puff of smoke as he looked forward.

"I did not mean to upset you…" She said quietly as she straightened out her dress and sat up straight again.

"I am not upset with you, Anira." He said with a small smile. "I am slightly frustrated, true, but that is only because I am a man with the needs of a man. You are still very young and we have only just recently met. We married almost on a whim, I do not expect you to give yourself to me so quickly. When you are ready, you will know. Until then, I will do my very best to suppress my urges so that I do not frighten you away." He teased tenderly.

"I do not believe I would ever be afraid of you, Thorin." Anira said with a lovely smile. She looked forward to see how far they had traveled, and she was rather surprised. They must have been at least half way there. The town looked much clearer now and she could even see people moving in the distance.

"You said that you have been to this town before?" She asked, nervousness obvious in her voice.

"That I have, what is wrong, Anira?" He asked quietly.

"I have never been around humans other than my family, I mean, as myself. The people of Mardok did not know me as myself until the day I left." She said skeptically. "I do not know how people will react to an elf showing up. I know enough to know that Elves do not travel often, not unless they have to."

"Do not worry so much, Anira."

"It is so hard not to worry. I am so ignorant of the real world. I wish I knew that to expect."

"Be yourself and you can expect that they will all love you, just as your own people loved you. We will only be in this town for a day or two anyway. Long enough to gather some winter supplies, have a good nights rest, and for me to teach you how to use a sword. Well, teach you enough to defend yourself if I am not there to protect you."

"I would really like to know how to defend myself. I do not want to be a burden to you. I want to protect myself and be able to help you." She said with a bright smile.

"And you will." Thorin said with a small smile as he dumped the ashes in his pipe over the side of the cart before tying it onto his belt again. She was so unlike any elf he had ever met. He had always seen elves as very self centered, pompous and unreasonable. They would not help the dwarves when they were at their lowest and he resented them for it. Anira was different, much different. She had a light about her that made her glow like the sun, brightening his otherwise darkened world. Being near her made him forget about all of his woes in life, even if just for a few moments. He wanted to tell her all of these things, but was afraid she would see him as weak. One day, he would explain all of his feelings to her, but not for a while longer. This got him thinking about the leather bound journal that lay wrapped within his furs in the caravan. He would have to explain that to her, preferably before she found it. That book was the last thing he wanted her to see. The horrors within its pages would take a toll on her emotionally, and she would not take it well.

"It looks like we are so close now." Anira whined impatiently as she shifted nervously upon her seat.

"We are only a few minutes away now. If you are really that excited, you can run ahead and greet the inn keeper, letting her know we will need a place to stay for the night." Thorin said

casually. Anira turned and gave him a look of horror, and looked as though she was about to shout at him. He smiled at her and a blush crossed her pale cheeks. She had not realized that he was merely kidding, teasing her. She was so anxious that she was hardly aware of her surroundings.

"Ha Ha… Very funny, Thorin." She muttered under her breath as she looked down at her lap again.

"Why do you always do that?"

"Why do I always do what?"

"You get really excited or scared, and show emotions. But… If anyone says anything about it, or teases you, you go silent and look down at your hands. I was only trying to tease you, I did not mean to offend you."

"Oh.. I.. I know you did not mean to, and you did not." Anira said with a nervous smile as she looked over at him. "Krystoff was very stern with us about not showing our emotions. We were his children and we were supposed to act like the respectable young women that we were. He did not like us to laugh or smile like the others around us. I did not even realize how I must seem to you. I am sorry that I have not known anything outside of my home."

"Do not be sorry for events you can not control." Thorin said with a tender smile. "Ah, would you look at that." He said with a small laugh, nodding forward. Anira looked at him skeptically for a few moments before looking ahead. Her eyes went wide when she realized that they had reached the outer gate of the small town.

The gate was tall, but not very sturdy. It had to be at least twenty feet high, but it was made out of thin, wooden boards that were very poorly nailed together. There were gaps, and places where they over lapped. She could hardly believe that the wall would stand on it own without just collapsing upon itself. Thorin stopped the cart and jumped down from his seat. He walked over to the large wall and knocked on it three times. Anira stared at him curiously, when suddenly a wooden slot opened from the door. How flawless! Do to all of the flaws in the construction itself, she could not see the secret hatches and doors that she knew must be present.

Thorin spoke with the man, and they both seemed to laugh for a moment before a large, heaving creaking filled Anira's ears. She watched in amazement as two large doors opened inward towards the city. She had not noticed them at all on the large wall and was completely astonished. Thorin walked back to the cart and pulled himself back onto the bench, hurrying the horses inside of the gate so that they could shut the doors. As soon as they were inside, Anira turned around to look at the back side of the wall. It looked completely different. All of the boards were put together beautifully, layered so that they were strong and durable. There were also several small standing spots with lifting hatches. There was a person with a bow standing at each post.

It would not look secure from the outside, but this place was fortified by like a castle. She felt like that would be a good way to trick enemies. Why attack a place that can't even afford to protect itself? There would be nothing there worth stealing. This place was very well put together, but looked as though it were poor. She thought it was absolutely brilliant.

All of the buildings within the wall were built very well, out of wooden boards and planks. They were put together with metal nails but not many. She did not realize just how high class her city was until leaving. The homes and buildings did not look terrible, but they did not look extravagant either. They were all rather small, maybe two or three rooms at most. The walls were

strong enough to stay standing and keep the wind, snow and rain out throughout the year, but not much more than that. The windows were all boarded up, she assumed that was because the air was rather cool today.

The whole town looked as though it should have a musky smell of damp wood and mud, but it did not. There was smoke rising from every chimney, filling the air with the smell of warmth and ash, but there were other smells that greeted her nose. There was the smell of meat cooking over an open fire and it made her mouth water.. There was also the faint smell of bread baking. Her stomach began to growl then and she covered her belly with her arms as if to silence the noises. That's when she began to think about her hunger. She could not remember the last time she had eaten anything, it must have been before she met Thorin. Oh, goodness! She was going on day three of not having eaten anything. With all of the excitement of her travels, it must have completely slipped her mind. She turned to look at Thorin and stayed silent for a few moments before she spoke.

"Thorin, are we close to the inn? I think that we should stop for food soon if we are not close." She said tenderly, hoping he would agree with her.

"I think that food seems like an absolutely fantastic idea." He said with a groan. "I think a good, hearty meal would do us both some good, don't you? I know that the Inn keepers always have food ready and available. I'm sure that we will have a decent meal, and hot bath before we rest for the night."

"It's only been a day and already a bath seems heavenly." She said with a small laugh, shaking her head. She felt so foolish for longing for a bath so desperately when they had not even been traveling very long.

"A bath does sound like a good idea… Perhaps, a bath together…" He said quietly as he looked over at her. A smile crossed his lips when he watched her cheeks turn red. "I am only teasing you Anira. You look so innocent when ever I make you blush, I can not help myself."

"I fail to see the humor and making me feel embarrassed." She said indignantly as she touched her cheeks with her hands, trying to cool them down and make the blush go away.

"I know you do not see it, but you will, one day."

"Says you."

"Ah!" Thorin said suddenly as he pulled the reins and forced the horses to stop. They stomped angrily and shook their heads as they stopped walking. "We are here, Anira." He said hurriedly as he jumped down from the cart, landing with a small thud on the packed dirt. He walked towards the building to their right and looked back at Anira.

The building was larger than most of the other buildings, and had smoke coming from the chimney. She smiled when she noticed the green vines that crawled up the walls of the building. They had small white flowers and it reminded her of home. It was nice to see something lovely while so far away from home. She slid from the cart and walked quickly towards Thorin, standing rather close behind him. She was nervous to actually have to talk to other people now. The last two people were not very kind. Thorin pushed the door open and walked inside the building.

Anira closed her eyes as the comforting warmth wrapped around her. She stepped inside and Thorin shut the door behind her. When she opened her eyes she gasped as her eyes went wide. Everything was lovely, much lovelier than she had expected. The wooden floors were polished and

seemed to reflect just like a mirror. The room was very long, but not terribly wide. To their left side was a wooden desk with a an open book, a quill and bottle of ink. Behind the counter were layers of keys hanging upon the wall, each with a metal number attached to the end. There were two long staircases that went up both sides of the long room. At the far end, opposite where she and Thorin stood, was a large fireplace ablaze with light and warmth. There was a bear skin rug on the floor before the fire, and there were a few, leather chairs and a dark brown coffee table. It was extremely comforting and screamed of home. She did not want to have to leave after only two days. She wanted to stay where it felt like home. If she could stay here over the winter months, she would consider herself lucky.

Thorin walked to the counter with the book and lifted the quill, signing his name onto the page before waiting. He tapped his large fingers against the desk for a few moments before clearing his throat.

"It sure would be nice if someone was here to assist me!" He called loudly, his deep voice echoing through out the large room. There was silence for a few seconds before scuffling could be heard from the upstairs.

"Hold your horses!" The voice of a woman called angrily. "Can't you wait just one darn moment!" She cried as she drew closer to the stairs. She took two steps down the stairs and stopped, staring at Thorin.

Anira looked up and smiled when she saw the elderly woman. She must have been human, around sixty or maybe even seventy years old. Her hair was a dark gray, with a few brown streaks that was tied back with a strip of black leather. She wore a very plain, brown dress and had a white apron around her waist. She did not stand up straight, and Anira assumed that it was because her age prevented her from doing so.

"My, is that you, Thorin? We did not expect you to return until the spring! What has brought you back so soon, did you miss me?" The elderly woman teased, putting her head behind her head and trying her best to strike a sexy pose.

"Oh, of course I missed you, Hellen." Thorin said with a laugh as he walked towards the stairs, greeting her at the bottom. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly, swaying back and forth as she squeezed the dwarf man. The sincerity of the affection made Anira smiled to herself as she watched them. He had spoken of how the elderly woman had wanted to be his bride and she thought he had been kidding. She wasn't so sure of what to think anymore.

"Hellen, you are not going to believe it." Thorin said with a smile as he broke the hug and looked the woman in the eye. "I have finally taken a bride and we are heading back to the Blue Mountains." He said, turning away from her slightly and reaching a hand out towards Anira. Hellen looked towards Anira, with a stern look upon her face. Anira could not tell if it was anger or just jealousy. She nervously stepped forward and grabbed Thorin's hand, squeezing timidly.

"Hellen, this is my wife, Anira." He said with a bright smile. "Anira, this is Hellen, the Inn keepers wife."

"Hello. It is a pleasure to meet you." Anira said sweetly as she bowed her head to the other woman.

"You took a bride!" Hellen exclaimed excitedly before wrapping her arms around Anira. Anira was taken by surprise and hugged back nervously before looking at the woman.

"Is that such a strange thing?" Anira asked with a small laugh, trying to be funny as she spoke.

"It is! I have known Thorin for at least ten years now and he has never even wanted a bride, not even in the slightest! He always told me that marriage was a waste of time for dwarves and that he did not feel having a wife would change anything. You truly must be a remarkable woman if you were able to steal his heart, and so quickly too! I must admit, you are quite a looker, but you are just a baby!" She said before glaring at Thorin sharply. "You are not taking advantage of this young girl, are you? There is a special place in hell for men who take advantage of innocent women like this!" She said harshly.

"She is not a child, Hellen. She is forty five years old. She is an elf." Thorin said with a small laugh.

"An elf! I thought that you hated the elves, Thorin." Hellen said with a smile before crinkling her nose. "You two must be exhausted! Let me just get you a room key here…" She said as she hurried passed them, taking small, quick steps as she went behind the counter and grabbed a key.

"I've already signed us in." Thorin said tenderly. Hellen nodded as she grabbed a large key and handed it to him with a tender smile. "Is there anything I can do for you to right away?"

"A meal would be perfect. I fear neither of us has eaten in well over a day." He said with a deep laugh. "Is your husband around? We have two horses outside and a cart full of our supplies. I would be very grateful if they could stay within your stable as long as we are here."

"That's no trouble at all, Thorin!" Hellen said with a bright smile. "I will go out to the stable and get him on that right away. I will have dinner ready for you two quickly. I will come get you when it is done." She said sweetly as she hurriedly exited the building, shutting the door behind herself.

"You really were not kidding when you said that she liked you…" Anira said with a small laugh. "Was she being honest about all of those things she said… About you never wanting to take a wife…?"

"I am afraid that they are true, but in my defense. I said all of those things before I met you." Thorin said with a small smile, looking away from his wife and walking up the stairs.

Anira watched him walk up the stairs, but did not follow him. She walked across the large room and sat down in one of the large chairs, hugging her knees to her chest as she stared into the blazing fire. She could not fathom why Thorin would have married her so quickly after all this she has heard about how he never wanted to get married. He himself told her that dwarves did not even see it necessary to marry, but, here she was. Sitting on a chair in an Inn, within a town that she had never even heard of before that morning. She kept feeling like something was going to go horribly wrong, and soon. She did not want to go up the stairs to be alone with him, not after his comments earlier in the day. Perhaps all he really wanted from her was children, but could not prove that.

"Anira!" Thorin called from up the stairs. "Come up here, please."

"Yes dear." She whispered quietly to herself as she reluctantly lifted herself from her chair. She slowly walked to the stairs and began to climb them. They were so much wider and less steep than her stairs at home. She placed her hand upon the smooth, cold railing as she continued to step. Her mind was rather fuzzy and she was having trouble focusing on anything. The whole room seemed like it was spinning around her.

She gripped the railing for dear life as she reached the top of the steps. She closed her eyes tightly before she dropped to her knees, feeling as though she was going to be sick. She could feel the bile rising in her throat as she trembled, wrapping her arms around her stomach as if to ease her feelings of discomfort.

"Anira, where are you?" Thorin called anxiously before he emerged from the room. He did not have his cloak on, or his weapons. He was wearing just his blue tunic and black pants. He looked so much less broad without his layers on. Anira looked up at him through her veil of silver hair, unable to see him clearly.

"Th-Thorin… I do not feel well…." Anira said quietly before gagging. Just the simple effort of trying to speak was unbearable. She covered her mouth with her hands, closing her eyes again before collapsing against the floor, curling into a ball, holding her knees to her chest, her head between her knees as best as she could manage. It seemed to make the room stop spinning, but the sick feeling was not leaving her.

"Anira…" Thorin said gently, trying to sooth her. He knelt beside her and stroked her hair tenderly with a large hand. She could feel his hand against her, but his voice sounded so far away. She wondered what was going on. Was she going to die? She had never felt so sick in all of her life and she could not explain why.

That's when she felt his hands beneath her. He was picking her up. How on earth could he pick her up? He seemed to scoop her into his arms with ease, holding her against his chest tightly. She trembled for a few moments before releasing her knees so that she could wrap her arms around his neck, burying her face against his neck, beneath his hair and against his beard. He could feel the tears running down her cheeks and it pained his heart to see her like this. He assumed that the excitement of everything had finally worn off and her body was starting to complain about her lack of food for the last few days.

Thorin carried her into their room, trying to be as gentle as he could, not wanting to make her feel any sicker than she already felt. He laid her down upon one of the beds in the room and brushed her hair back from her face. She was sweating and looked green with illness. He grabbed a bowl of water that sat on the bedside table and held it to her lips, tipping it into her mouth. She gasped and coughed for a moment before swallowing the liquid, tears still streaming down her pale cheeks. She turned her head away from him suddenly and groaned in anguish before rolling over onto her side, wrapping her arms around her stomach and curling into a small ball again. Her back was towards him and he just stared at her for a few moments, not sure what he could do to help her. Finding Hellen seemed like his best idea, she would know what to do. He stood up and left the room quickly, closing the door behind himself as he went in search of the Inn keeper.

Anira awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in the dimly lit room. There was a large candle on each of the two night stands. She closed her eyes and tried to make the room stop spinning. She had moved too quickly and threw herself right back into her sickness. She laid down on her back and stared at the wooden ceiling, counting the cobwebs. They all looked old, dusty and abandoned. The entire time she counted, she did not see even a single spider.

"Ah, so you are awake. How are you feeling, deary?" The voice of Hellen called as she walked into the room, setting down a tray of food upon the night table. She sat in a chair beside Anira's bed and placed her hand upon the young girls forehead. "Well, your fever has gone down at any rate." She said quietly. "I have brought you some supper. Thorin said it has been a while since you 'ave last eaten."

"I feel… Less sick, but I do not feel well…" Anira said quietly before sitting up, though much more slowly this time. She looked over at Hellen and smiled nervously. "I am sorry for making such a scene… I do not know what is wrong with me." She admit softly, looking down at her lap sheepishly.

"You are just suffering from hunger, dear one." Hellen said gently. "Eat up and I promise that you will feel better. There is a fresh mug of water for you as well. Thorin said that you two had a rather exciting night and morning so neither of you really ate or drank as you should."

"Where is Thorin?" Anira asked nervously as she scanned the room, noticing that he and all of his belongings were gone.

"He went to town, looking for supplies, he said." Hellen said with a smile. Anira noticed now that the older woman was missing a few teeth and the ones she had left were yellow and broken. She ran her tongue over her own teeth nervously, wondering if she was going to start to look like that while traveling.

"I am so afraid that he is going to get tired of me… We married on a whim." Anira said with a sad laugh, grabbing a slice of bread from the plate beside her. She rose it to her mouth and took a few small bites, chewing and swallowing. She expected to feel even more sick after eating food, but it was starting to make her feel better.

"Why did you two marry?" Hellen asked curiously. Anira stopped at these words and set her food down, a look of discomfort upon her face. She looked at the woman and tears began to swell in her eyes. "I have no idea why he married me…" She admit sadly. "I married him because when I look at him, I see everything I have ever wanted. A strong man with a heart of gold, and unwavering loyalty. He has such a respectable presence, I can not help but to adore being near him. He is so strong and commanding when he needs to be. But he has also shown me just how kind he can be, how merciful when he needs to be." All the while, her words began to be choked out by emotions, causing her to sound like she was going to start sobbing any moment. "I loved him from the first moment that I saw him, working in the city." She said as she closed her eyes, as if trying to see that moment again. The memory escaped her, and she could not see his face clearly. "I did not know he was a king then, and I did not care. I could feel in my heart that he would be a wonderful husband, but now I am afraid that I was not ready to be a wife. He has already asked me why I will not do any more than kiss him, and it pains me… But he has not yet told me that he loves me. I want so badly to believe that he does, but I do not know… Until he says it… I do not feel comfortable letting him touch me, or see my naked form."

"You will understand one day…" Hellen said quietly, reaching out to cup the girls cheek tenderly. "You must not give up hope, not so soon…"

"What if I am unable to give him a child? What… What if dwarves and elves can not have children together?" She asked frantically. Hellen grabbed her by the shoulders and held her still, looking into her eyes sternly.

"Do not worry so!" She said sternly. "You are very young, you both are. You have over two hundred years together, why worry about all of the 'ifs' only a few days in? Enjoy it, take pleasure in each others company and do not think of all of these problems that have obviously been plaguing your mind. He is a good man, and you appear to be a very strong young woman. I believe with all of my being that you two will be fine."

"Anira!" Thorin called from below them. Anira took a sharp gasp as she looked towards the door, trembling nervously.

"Relax. Be yourself, and eat some more food. We do not want you getting any sicker on us." Hellen said sweetly before she stood up and walked out of the room. "She is awake now, Thorin! She seems to be doing much better." The older woman called as she began to walk down the stairs.

"I knew that you would be able to fix her up in no time." Thorin said with a deep bellow of a laugh as he began to climb the stairs. Anira knew it was him simply because of how heavy the footsteps sounded. Thorin was a lot of things, graceful was not one of them.

Thorin stepped into the room and there was a smile upon his face, followed by a small sigh of relief. He walked towards Anira and sat down on the bed beside her and placed his hand on her cheek, leaning forward and kissing her tenderly upon the lips.

"You really worried me earlier." He said softly as he ran his fingers through her hair tenderly. She closed her eyes and smiled, wondering what thoughts were going through his head right now. She wanted to ask, but did not know how to ask him.

"You were worried about me?" Anira asked gently before opening her eyes to look at him. He looked surprised at her question.

"Of course I was worried about you. You are my wife, I care about you." He said sternly as he pulled his hand away from her. "Why would I not be worried about you? How could you even think that?" He asked, a look of hurt in his gray eyes.

"Oh, it is nothing… Just not feeling quite myself yet." Anira lied quietly with a tender, tired smile. He seemed satisfied with his answer as he removed the scabbard from his belt and placed it within her small hands.

"I bought you a sword, just as I had promised you I would. It is very well made, very strong and still very light. I did not want to get you a weapon that you could not wield." Thorin said with a bright smile. "And in the morning, I will teach you how to use it."

"That sounds really nice, Thorin, thank you." Anira said sadly, feeling her heart break within her chest. Even when he thought she may be ill, he would not tell her he loved her. Perhaps this was the answer she had been seeking, she just did not want to know the answer.

"You know that I would do anything for you." He said tenderly as he leaned forward to kiss her again. She turned her head away and she felt his lips through her hair, against her ear. Tears swelled in her eyes as she pushed him away by his chest gently.

"I know…" She said quietly before laying down on the bed, rolling over so that her back was facing him. "I am very tired Thorin… We can speak more in the morning." She whispered her words so that she could mask the sadness in her voice.

Thorin sat beside her for a few moments, confused as to why she was being so cold to him. Had he done something to upset her? She wanted to learn to defend herself, so he had bought her a weapon. He brought her to this town so that she could have a good nights rest before they traveled further, trying to escape the winter cold. She seemed to completely reject his affections and he could not understand why. Perhaps this marriage was not what she had been looking for. Did she marry him just because she heard of his history? Perhaps she pitied him, or just wanted to use him to get to the vast riches beneath Erebor. No. He shook his head, trying to get these thoughts out of his mind. She would not do that to him, he knew that she could not. She was not the kind of women to play with hearts, he could see that clearly in the small time he knew her.

After a few minutes, he finally stood up, defeated, and walked across the small room towards his own bed. He sat down on the edge for a few moments, staring at her, wondering what to do about her. He did not want to force himself upon her, but he did not know what he could do about her now. He removed his belt and his cloak and neatly set them over the end of the bed. He laid down on his back, staring at the ceiling for a long time before he closed his eyes and finally allowed sleep to take him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Elven Queen

Anira woke up early the next morning and sighed as she rolled onto her back, groaning as the sunlight fell across her face. She closed her eyes tightly for a few moments before slowly fluttering her eyelids open, attempting to let her eyes adjust.

She sat up and slowly wrapped her arms around herself nervously before looking over at the other bed. She sighed sadly when she realized that Thorin was no longer laying there. This time she did not assume that he abandoned her here. There were a lot of things to do within this town. He must have had a lot of things to do. After all, they had a long voyage ahead and a cold winter to endure. She stood up and finally slid out out of her dress. She had not realized just how dirty it was, and how stiff. She did her best to fold the dress and lay it on the bed. It was covered with dry mud and blood stains. A heat rose to her face then as she stared at the gown. Had she really arrived into this town looking like this? Oh god, the people of this town must think she's some kind of killer! She trembled, adjusting her undergarments and looking around. She closed her eyes for a moment as she realized that her bag of clothes was still within the caravan. She sat down upon the bed and sighed, arching her back, wincing slightly.

"Now, isn't that a sight worth coming home to?" Thorin called from the doorway. He had both his own pack and hers over his shoulders. He set them down on the floor and closed the door behind himself. He sat down on his own bed across from her, smiling at her lovingly, but he said nothing.

"Do not tease, Thorin…" Anira said nervously as she reached for her bag and pulled out a dress quickly, holding it over her chest nervously. There was a bright blush across her cheeks as she looked down at her lap.

"Why do you just assume that I am teasing you? Why am I not allowed to see my own wife the way she is naturally?" Thorin asked tenderly, sadness entering his blue eyes as he looked at her.

"I assume you tease… Because you know so much more than I do. I.. I assume that you have dated women before, even if not seriously. I have never been with anyone and I am so scared to be so far from home, with a man who is just of very recently my husband."

"I do not tease, you can trust that. I have dated women, yes, but none of them had near the affect that you have on me. I am completely bewitched by your beauty and your charm. I have never met another woman like you, not even close. You are a beauty that will never be matched by any living creature."

Anira blushed even brighter as she looked at him. She did not even know what to say to him. No one had ever said anything so kind to her before and she did not know the proper response. It did bother her slightly that he only called her beautiful. She smiled and brushed a lock of hair back from her face with a trembling hand.

"What else…?" She asked quietly, thinking of all of the things she loved about Thorin, should he ask her.

"W-… Wait, what?" Thorin asked, caught off guard as he looked at her. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I… What else is there…?" He asked with a nervous laugh as he looked at her.

Anira stared at him with her Jaw agape, shaking her head slightly. She could not believe that those words just left his lips. So it was true, he did just see her as a lovely face. That answered her questions, but it was not the answer she was looking for. She looked down at her hands for a moment before finally lifting her dress on over her head.

The fabric was soft and felt clean. She did not realize just how uncomfortable she had been in her other dress. The new dress was a light brown color. She felt that it fit her current situation. She did not want to dress too elegantly and call unneeded attention to herself if she were to walk around with Thorin. She stood up and adjusted her dress so that it fell down to her ankles. She sat back down and reached into her bag, taking out her brush, running it through her hair slowly. She winced, not realizing just how knotted her hair was until she began brushing.

"Anyway…" Thorin said, clearing his throat. He was going to ignore that she was mad at him, but only because he did not understand why his words upset her. She had won his heart, what more did she want? "I think that I should teach you how to use a sword. I created a kind of sparring field for us this morning, that's why I wasn't here when you woke up. I'm going to go back there and continue what I was working on, but I just wanted to check on you to make sure you were alright here. Hellen has breakfast ready for you downstairs. I insist that you eat food before leaving. I do not want to see you have another dizzy spell like last night. I was worried about you." He said calmly as he stood up, kissing her tenderly on the forehead. His beard tickled her skin and she tried hard not to smile, but couldn't help herself. She nodded, a small smile across her lips as she put her things back into her bag. He walked out of the room and shut the door behind himself again. He was good at that, remembering to shut the door. Krystoff had always left doors open, so it was a nice change.

Anira had a very quick breakfast after she went down to the common area. She had a single, hard boiled egg and a slice of bread. The food was good and she wanted to eat until she could no longer move, but she did not want to over do it and make herself sick again. She walked outside and took a deep breath of cool air. It was crisp outside, with a light breeze that licked against her cheeks. She opened her eyes and looked around.

There were a few people walking around, doing their daily tasks. There was a baker placing bread in her window display, and the smell wafted over to Anira and made her hungry almost instantly. There were a few men chopping and stacking wood not far away. One of the men was Thorin. She could not help but smile as she began to walk towards him. The men working with him looked at her with wide eyes, obviously wondering what an elf was doing so far from home. She looked at Thorin with a tender smile before speaking.

"Why on earth are you working?" Anira asked with a small laugh.

"Well, I get a share of all that we are able to cut." Thorin said, rubbing his forehead. "I'm thinking that if we get stopped for the winter, it may be nice to have at least a small supply of logs so that we do not freeze to death when the snow falls." He said with a small laugh. He was shimmering with sweat, despite how cool the air was. She couldn't help but to walk towards him and lean down, kissing him tenderly upon his lips, feeling guilty for what he had said before. She knew that he liked her for more than her looks, wether he knew it or not, he was a good husband.

"The queen is coming, step aside and show respect." An elder man said before he got down on his knees, facing the street.

"Queen?" Anira asked out of confusion before she turned around. Her eyes went wide and she stared in shock and awe as the procession passed them.

There, atop white horses, were four elves. Three of them looked to be guards, wearing plated armor made of silver. They had bows on their backs and swords at their sides. Each of them had a stern look of purpose and duty upon their face. Even with the hardness of stone, they were the loveliest creatures she had ever seen in all her life. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest and she could hardly think.

The woman that lead them shined like a star. Her hair was long, raven black and braided down her side. Her eyes were a bright, emerald color, that looked so similar to her own. If not identical. She wore elegant robes that were silver with pearl embellishments and jewels around her neck. She had a silver crown atop her head, but her face looked much more sad than her guards. They showed no emotion at all, but she showed misery. Anira found herself wondering why any woman in that position would feel any misery. She could not look away from the elegant woman upon the white horse. Everything about her was absolutely perfect. Her skin looked like a stone from her home, flawlessly white and beautiful. The red of her lips could only be matched by that of a fresh rose, blooming in the wild. Her curves were extravagant and she looked as though she were an angel dropped straight from the heavens.

"Anira…" Thorin whispered quietly, grabbing her hand and tugging. She looked back and realized that her husband was down on one knee. She blushed with embarrassment before she knelt down beside him, leaning her head against his sheepishly.

"I am sorry… I did not mean to embarrass you…" She whispered, kissing his cheek softly.

_"Oh, for shame. How terrible it is for an elvish girl to marry a dwarf… She must be a desperate child, or perhaps she has already been used by mortal men. Even so, why pick a dwarf over an elf or a man? What a ridiculous pair to have witnessed." _Anira heard a woman's voice say. She looked forward to realize that the black haired elf that lead them was staring back at her, with a smug smirk upon her face. Anira glared at her and stood up straight.

"What are you doing?" Thorin hissed quietly as he tried to pull her back down. Anira shook his hand off and took a few steps towards the woman.

"How dare you say such slanderous things about my husband and I!" She shouted angrily. The woman stopped almost instantly and spun around with a look of bewilderment upon her lovely face.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked. The voice was the same and Anira knew it was the queen who had spoken ill of her.

"I heard you, just now!" She screamed as she took a few steps closer. Two of the guards stood between her and the queen. She only glared passed them at the woman, shaking her head. "You know nothing of me, of us! How dare you make comments about my virtue! Is it so hard to believe that an elf maid would want to willingly marry a dwarf man? I do not think so. If you do, it is you who is the terrible child, not I." She said angrily. The guards reached for their swords and finally Thorin grabbed Anira by her shoulders and pulled her back from them.

"I apologize about her, she has a bit of a hot temper. I will make sure she contains it in the future." Thorin said through his teeth. As much as it pained him to apologize to elves for any reason, he did not want to see them hurt Anira because of her outburst.

"See to it that you do." One of the guards, a young man, said sternly as he removed his hand from his weapon. The queen still sat, staring at them both in shock, as if no one had ever spoken back to her before. She could hardly believe what she has just seen and heard.

"M'lady, we must keep going." The man said again, urging his horse to move on.

The woman did not move for a few moments more. She continued to stare at the young couple, more specifically, she stared at the dwarfish man that stood there.

_"Thorin?"_ She asked with her mind, looking at him intently. In unison, Anira and Thorin looked up at the woman. Thorin looked confused and surprised to hear his name, and Anira just looked sick with rage. At this moment, the queen turned and began to walk on with her horse, following behind her guards now.

She needed to speak with him as soon as humanly possible. She wanted to speak with Thorin and his bride. Hopefully they would agree to spend time with her, at least just a little time. She needed to explain to them who she was and why she could speak to them with her mind. More importantly, she wanted to explain why the young girl heard her thoughts, without any effort at all. It had been a very long time since she had run into elves outside of Mirkwood, and definitely not this far from home. What on earth were they doing here this time of year? They could not possibly be heading towards the mountains! They would never make it before winter. She decided then that she was going to intercede and make sure that they would both fair well over the harsh winter months.

"What on earth was that all about?" Thorin asked angrily as he looked up at Anira, who was still staring after the queen.

"Did you not hear her insult us?" Anira whispered, anger heavy in her voice.

"I heard nothing, Anira, and neither did you!"

"But I did. She called me a whore! She said I was a disgrace because I married a dwarf." She said quietly, her anger quickly turning into sadness. Was it really such a bad thing to love a dwarf? Surely there must have been others who have loved dwarves just like herself.

"I did… Not hear her… But I did hear her say my name, but her lips did not move." Thorin said gently.

"I heard that too… But I do not think I was meant to…" Anira said sadly before shaking her head. "Thorin… Can you teach me how to use a sword now, please?" She asked gently. "I need to do something to keep my mind busy before I begin to cry. Her words hurt me so deeply."

"Do not be sad, Anira. That woman does not know what she talks about." Thorin said gently as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Anira wrapped her arms around him, holding his head to her chest tightly as tears began to stream down her cheek. Elves were cruel, nasty creatures. She felt ashamed that her race was so unbearable. She hoped that she would never be like that and that she would never see elves again. Life would be better with just dwarves and she was convinced that these thoughts were truth.

"Alright, Anira… We will go and grab our swords as soon as I am done working here. You may stay and wait, it should not be terribly long now." Thorin said before picking up an axe with one hand and going back to work. Anira watched him sadly and looked down at her hands, picking at her dirty nails. She wanted to get back at that elvish woman, but she knew not how.

The elvish woman stopped her horse outside of the Inn and looked over at it before looking over at one of her guards, a young elf maid named Raveena.

"Watch after my horse for a few moments. I need to speak with Hellen quickly." She said with a tender smile.

"But, my lady, your husband will be very upset if we are home later than expected."

"I do not care what my husband feels. Besides, he is my problem to deal with, not yours." She said as she jumped off of her horse and head towards the Inn with quick steps. She walked inside and saw the elderly woman sweeping out the fire place. Her face was covered in ashes and soot, but she looked to be happy with her work.

"Good afternoon, Hellen." She called tenderly, her voice carrying like a song across the empty room.

"Oh, my goodness!" Hellen said, turning around and curtsying as best she could. "I was not expecting you to stop through today, or I would have cleaned the place up a bit." She laughed quietly. "What can I help you with, my queen?"

"Yes, could you answer me something?"

"I shall do my best, m'lady. What is it you need to know?"

"That dwarf who is staying here… What is his name…?" She asked quietly, as if her words were supposed to be secret.

"Thorin Oakenshield." Hellen responded. Her voice was just as quiet as she walked towards the woman, whispering more softly once she was close. "The young woman who trails behind him is his bride… I did not ever think the young prince would marry, but she seems to have changed his heart…"

"But she is just a child…"

"She is, but she is an elf child… I was told she is nearly fifty years old…"

"Do you know what her name is?"

"I think it was… Anita…? No, that's not right… Anira. Her name is Anira." Hellen said, feeling proud that she had remembered the young girls name.

"The Desired…." The elvish woman whispered to herself before she quickly walked back to the front counter. "I need you to do me a favor…" She said hurriedly as she grabbed the quill from the counter and began to write on a blank page of the guest book. She scribbled frantically for a few moments before ripping the page out of the book, folding it in half twice and then holding it to her heart. She was taking deep, rapid breaths as if something was frightening her or chasing her. She turned around and walked to Hellen, placing the note within the woman's hands tightly.

"Do not let anyone see this note but the dwarf, is that clear? You are to give it to him as soon as he arrives back and not a minute later. It is vital that he gets this message, and that his young wife does not know." She said with a stern voice, her green eyes piercing with intensity and desperation. "Can you promise me?"

"I promise you, m'lady. But what-"

"Do not ask questions, Hellen. Just make sure that Thorin Oakenshield gets that note as soon as possible." She said sharply as she turned and hurried out of the building, practically running. Of all places, why did she have to find them here? She could not even speak to them, not together, not yet. She needed to speak with Thorin alone before anything would be alright. Oh, how badly she wished to speak with Anira, but could not. She would have to wait patiently, but for how long? Her husband surely would be mad if she was not home by the weeks end. Then again, it was really his fault that she was here now. She would make him wait, simply out of spite.

"M'lady, is something wrong?" Raveena asked nervously as she watched the woman rapidly approaching.

"It is nothing." The woman said sternly as she climbed upon her horse gracefully before starting again, going at a quicker pace now. "We are staying here for the night."

"But M'lady! Your husband!"

"As I've said before, I do not wish to go home to him. He is my problem, not yours. But if you would like to take him off of my hands, I would gladly let you do so." The woman snapped coldly. It was very rare for elves to get mad, but she did hate her marriage so. Evles always married for love, but not this time. She was married by force and she could not stand anything about her husband. She wanted desperately to leave the marriage, but the only way out was death. Divorce was not even remotely an option, neither was remarriage. She was doomed to live with this horror of a man for all eternity, but she was going to be damned before she let him control every little thing that she did. She fought him every step of the way. He loved and loathed her for her behavior and would never let her leave him.

"Yes, M'lady.. We will make sure to find you the best place to stay for the night." Raveena said quietly, lowering her head. She felt ashamed for angering her queen. She did not mean to upset her and honestly did not understand why the woman was so hostile all of the sudden.

"Thank you, Raveena, you are a very good friend." The woman said finally, closing her eyes, petting the mane on her horse. "I am sorry for being so short with you. It is just… Something has happened, and I need to stay here tonight."

"Is it about that elf girl who spoke so rudely to you in the street? If you had but said the word, we would have struck her down where she stood."

"That was not necessary. She is but a child, and she is married to a dwarf prince. He would have fought you, and probably would have won. Where would I be if all of my guards were slaughtered by a dwarf?"

"Do you really think a single dwarf has that much skill with battle?"

"His line faced a dragon, an army of orcs and hardships unequalled by anything else. He is a strong man, the kind of man who can endure anything life throws at him." She said sternly. "Yes, I think that he would have that much skill, especially if you killed his wife."

"Wife!" The girl asked, astonished. "I did not think that elves could marry dwarves!"

"In our realm, according to our laws… They can not, but they married in the world of men, under their laws. Their marriage is just as real and binding as my own. Why does this surprise you?

"I just do not understand why any elvish woman would wish to marry outside of her race."

"You do not..?" The woman said, laughing gently as she closed her eyes. "There was once, a long time ago… I loved a man, a human, a mortal… I lost my love because of my husband." She said sadly, a tear sliding silently down her cheek. "I regret my marriage every day of my life."

"Do not be so cruel. I know you have your differences, but he does love you."

"But I do not love him. Marriages have to be equal and ours is not. I am done speaking of this subject, Raveena." The woman said sharply before looking back towards the road. People were staring at her. She did not realize just how loudly she was speaking. She knew that her words were going to get back to her husband one way or another, but they were not anything new to him. She made sure that he knew of her distaste for him.

"Alright, Anira." Thorin said, setting his axe down against the stump he had been cutting on. "I think that is all for the day…" He said with a deep breath. He was breathing rather hard and he wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve.

Anira stood and walked to him, leaning down and tenderly kissing him upon the lips. She looked at him lovingly for a few moments before standing up straight and brushing her hair back from her face. Thorin loved it when she looked at him like that, but he did not know how to tell her. He had yet to find a good way to express his emotions to her without her finding him soft. Until that day, he would keep his emotions to himself.

"I am very ready to go home. Are you going to be able to swing a sword after that much work?" Anira teased gently.

"The axe was just a warm up. I will be able to swing my sword more easily now." Thorin laughed, wrapping an arm around her, holding her close to himself. She was so warm and so fragile. Feeling her against him made him the happiest he had been in a very long time.

"If you say so…" Anira laughed quietly as she placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. Did he really love her? She wondered how she could make him say the words she so longed to hear.

They walked in silence after that, but it was a good silence. They were both obviously pleased with what life had given them. There was no need for words, not now. There was nothing that words could say that their actions would not, or at least, that was how they felt. They reached the Inn and stepped inside quickly. The sun was still high in the sky. There were still a few hours left that Thorin could use to teach Anira to wield a sword.

"Thorin." Hellen said quickly as soon as he walked in the door. He turned and looked at her with wide eyes. He had not expected her to sound so urgent when he arrived back. It worried him. He did not want to hear that something had gone wrong and they would have to leave.

"What is it, Hellen?" He asked gravely as he stepped closer to her, signaling Anira to stay where she was. She obeyed, reluctantly, but she obeyed.

"This was given to me today, from an elvish woman. She told me to give it to you as soon as you came back. Anira is not to know about it." She whispered into his ear hurriedly, pressing the note into his hand. She was obviously in a panic. She thought that perhaps Thorin had done something wrong and that the elves wanted him to leave. She had not opened the note out of respect for privacy, but she was very curious as to what was inside.

"What…?" Thorin said with a sharp hiss. He assumed it was the woman that Anira had yelled at in the street. He closed his eyes and cursed under his breath before looking back at Anira. She was confused. There was such anger and hardness upon his face and she knew not why. She opened her mouth to question, but he turned away from her.

"Hellen, ready a bath for Anira, please." He said coldly as he walked up the stairs. Anira watched him go sadly before looking back at Hellen.

"Have I done something wrong…?" Anira asked nervously. Hellen smiled sadly and shook her head.

"No, my child. There is just some unfinished business that has risen that Thorin must deal with." She said gently before taking the younger girls hand. "Come, let me lead you to the bath house." She urged gently, leading Anira into a separate room of the Inn.

Thorin walked into their room and shut the door behind himself, locking it quickly. He even turned the handle, to make sure the door was locked. He did not want Anira to see this note, not if it was specifically told to Hellen that Anira was not to know about it. He sat down upon his bed and stared at the folded piece of paper within his hands. It seemed to be almost taunting him. Did he dare read it? Perhaps it would be best to just pack their belongings and leave during the cover of night. If the elf woman was truly mad, leaving may be their best bet. He could see the black words scribbled beneath the paper and his heart seemed heavy in his chest. There was a deep presence of sadness upon this paper and it worried him. He closed his eyes as he unfolded the note. When he opened his eyes, his jaw dropped. He could not believe his eyes as he began to read.

_"Thorin,_

_ We need to talk._

_ About the Red Journal._

_ -V"_

Thorin took a deep breath and folded the note tightly and held it for a few moments. He stared at the wall, wondering what on earth he was supposed to do about this. He stood and quickly ripped the note into shreds. He stood and walked across the room, forcing open the old window and tossing the pieces of paper from it. He wanted Anira to have absolutely no chance of finding out about the Journal. Not now, not ever. He did not want to have to explain it to her. She would think him an absolutely terrible man if she knew. He wanted to protect his marriage at all cost, even if that meant keeping secrets… For now. He closed the window again and looked around the room frantically. He did not know what he should do. Where was he supposed to meet her? How was he going to get passed her guards? How was he supposed to keep Anira from asking questions? These thoughts weighed heavily on his mind as he walked back down the stairs.

"I really do not wish to bathe in a public bath house!" Anira protested, pulling away from Hellen with a loud tone. She sounded whiny, like a child who did not want to do their chores.

"Anira, why are you fussing?" Thorin said coldly as he walked down the stairs. His footsteps were heavy and his tone sounded as though he may start yelling at her at any moment.

"Thorin, I do not even remove my clothes for you, and yet you expect me to remove them for strangers in a bath house? You must be positively mad." She said angrily, glaring at him.

"Fine, do not bathe. I do not care. You need to stay here." He said as he walked towards the door.

"I thought you were going to teach me to use a sword!" She protested.

"Something more important has arisen. I will teach you tomorrow if all goes well tonight. I will be back before the sun rises. Do not follow me and do not try to find me. There will be serious consequences if you do." He warned, not turning to face her.

"Thorin…." She whispered, tears swelling in her eyes as she stared at him. "Why are you being so cold…?" She asked nervously, taking a step towards him. He spun around quickly and glared at her, his face red with rage.

"Do not take another step! Go to our room and stay there for the rest of the night! Have I made myself clear?" He shouted. The whole room seemed to shake with the ferocity of his voice. Anira closed her eyes, trembling. She nodded, not saying another word as a tear slid down her cheek. Thorin looked at her and his eyes grew kind, though she was not looking at him now. He wanted to apologize, but he knew that he could not, not yet.

He turned and left the building, closing the door behind himself. It slammed and caused dust to fall from the ceiling. Anira opened her eyes before covering her face with her hands as she began to sob. Her cries wracked her entire body, causing her to tremble and shake from head to toe. Her knees felt weak and she thought that she may fall down at any moment, but she did not.

"He hates me…. I do not understand why…. But he hates me, he must…." Anira whispered sadly before she turned and walked up the stairs. Her legs felt like limp noodles and she almost fell several times before finally making her way into her bedroom. She laid down, face down against her bed. She cried quietly into her pillow, not bothering to close the door. There was no point, no one but Hellen was here now.

Hellen watched the girl go sadly and looked down at the floor, thinking about what she had caused. It was wrong of her to give the note to Thorin, the elf woman should have done it herself, and should have been kind enough to let Anira know.

Thorin walked through the street, looking frantically for any sign of the elf woman. He could not tell where she had been and had no idea where she may be going. He did not want to spend any more time with elves than he absolutely had to. He did not like them now and did not plan on ever liking them. He asked a few people in the street if they had seen elves pass through. All of them had seen the elves, but did not know where they went. They only knew which direction they had been heading in. He went the direction they had pointed, but could see nothing.

Then, in the distance, near the Northern gate, he could see their white horses. He frowned deeply as he walked closer. All three of the elvish guards were standing outside of a rather beautiful little house. It was made of stone and covered in vines, where as all other homes were made of wood. As he drew near, the elves focused their attention on him. They all looked at him coldly, as if he were some kind of stray animal.

"Can we help you?" One of the young men asked, trying to keep his composure and not be completely rude to the dwarf.

"I need to speak with the woman you escort." He said sternly as he stopped, about fifteen feet from them. He did not want to give them the chance to draw their weapons within range. Only one of them had a bow. He thought this was odd, but it was in his favor.

"Our lady sees no one." Raveena said sternly as she looked at Thorin. "You may let us know your business, and we will decide wether or not it is worthy of her ears."

Thorin glared at the girl for a few moments before raising his voice, making sure that the elf within the house would hear him. "I have the Red Journal!"

The door flew open then, and the elegant woman stepped out. Her eyes were wide and excitement was upon her face.

"Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain. I have waited a very long time to meet you." She said with a tender smile, reaching an outstretched hand to him.

"I did not ever expect that I would meet you…." Thorin said coldly as he looked at the woman. The elves around her stared at her in complete shock, not sure what they should be doing. They all seemed to be very rigid with their nervousness as they watched their queen speaking so informally with the dwarf.

"I had hoped that one day we would be able to meet."

"I find it strange that you did not recognize your own daughter before calling her a whore, for marrying a dwarf. Or that you would call any elf girl a whore if you knew your own daughter was to marry a dwarf. Has Thranduil corrupted your mind that deeply?"

"Do not speak of my husband." She snapped angrily as she shot a sharp glare at him. "He has not been able to take my mind from me."

"No, just your child." He said sternly, glaring back at her, just as angry as she was.

"I hoped that we would be able to speak like civil beings." She said gently, closing her eyes and bowing her head. "I would like to be able to meet Anira."

"No. Not after the life you cursed her with. You are more a witch than an elf."

"How dare you speak to my queen in such a disgraceful way! I shall have your head!" Raveena screamed angrily as she drew her sword from her sheath.

"Raveena, stop." The elf queen demanded harshly. "He is right. I have no right to ask so much after so long. But I do ask anyway. Please, Thorin, can we speak in private?" She said with a tender smile, stepping aside and waiving her arm, offering entrance to the small building. Thorin looked at her skeptically, but nodded in agreement as he walked closer to him.

He did not know, but Anira had snuck out of her bedroom window, so that Hellen would not question her. She had followed Thorin, staying a safe distance behind so that he would not know she was there. She peeked around the corner of a near by shop, watching nervously as Thorin went into the woman's house. Who was this creature, and why did Thorin need to sneak away to see her. Perhaps this is why he did not love her, because he already gave his heart to this woman. Yes, that must be it! He only married her because he could not have the woman he truly desired. She was just a substitute for his needs as a man. He was so cold to her in the Inn. Was he always going to be like that now? She closed her eyes and turned, leaning her back against the wooden building, tears stinging her eyes and threatening to fall down her cheeks.

Thorin shut the door behind himself, not looking at the elvish woman. He was trying to organize his thoughts before opening his mouth.

"Will you stay near through the winter?" She asked suddenly. "I own a small house outside of this village. It is very secluded and hidden deeply within the woods." She said frantically. "I want to meet her before you take her back to your home, please, Thorin, let me meet her."

"You want to meet her now, after all of this time? What right do you have to ask that of her, after abandoning her as a child?" He demanded coldly.

"I do not have a right. I have caused her anguish and I know that, but it was not my fault! Thranduil made me give her up, I had no choice."

"You had a choice! You could have left him!" He screamed as he turned back at her, hate burning within his blue eyes.

"I had no choice! He told me that if I did not marry him…. He would kill her." She whispered as she sat down on a small, wooden stool. Her face looked distorted with sadness and regret. She looked up at him with tear glazed eyes. "I could not bear the thought of the child losing her life, simply because I was selfish enough to let her die. I married Thranduil against my will to save her." She snapped.

"What makes you think that she will accept he reality that you are her mother after all of these years? What makes you think that she will not despise you?"

"Nothing! I expect her to resent me, but I need to see her. I need to be close to her, to hold her one more time. Please, do not deny my mothers heart that, Thorin. It would be cruel to deny me now."

"Not any more cruel than the life she endured with the man you left her with."

"I know… I do not deserve your pity. I was a young, foolish woman. I wish I could go back and fix all of my wrongs, but I can not. Will you stay?"

"She will be suspicious if we stay." He said sharply. "I have already told her that I do not want to stay here any longer than we have to. I want to beat the winter, get far enough south to escape the bitter cold." He said harshly.

"Please… Please find a reason to stay…" She whispered, a tear sliding down her lovely face.

"Very well…" Thorin agreed, teeth clenched as he glared at the woman. "But you get to explain to her the red journal, because I will not do it. The first page makes me look like a monster looking for an heir!"

"What are you looking for? If not an heir? You married her for a reason. What reason did you marry her for?" She asked sternly.

"What business is it of yours, Valessfaeniel?" He growled, using her name this time. She looked surprised but only smiled.

"It has been a long time since anyone has called me by my name." She said with a laugh as she stood up. "It is my business because she is my daughter."

"Is she, is she really? Because you are not a mother…." He said sternly before turning away from her. He opened the door and stormed out, his footsteps heavy as he walked back towards the Inn. He walked right passed Anira and did not even notice her standing against the building, but she noticed him.

"Who is she to you…?" Anira asked. She did not care if Thorin was upset with her for following him when he told her not to. She needed to know who this other woman was, and why he had needed to see her so badly. Thorin was caught off guard by her voice and turned around to face her. He glared at her for a moment, grabbing her hand and dragging her with him.

"I told you not to follow me." He said harshly, pulling her wrist hard. She winced and cried out in pain before she stopped and ripped his hand off of her wrist. She glared at him, her hair a wild mess, covering half of her tear stained face.

"Who is she!" She screamed angrily on the top of her lungs. People were gathering around them, staring at them now. Thorin looked around nervously before looking back at Anira, frustration upon his face.

"She is nobody, just a woman."

"You are lying."

"You are right. Do you really want to know who she is, Anira? And why I needed to see her so suddenly? She is the elven queen! She is the wife of Thranduil and she was very angry about the way you spoke to her earlier. She demanded an apology or she was going to have you killed for disrespecting the crown! I had to see her to save your life, because you do not know your place." He said angrily as he grabbed her wrist again.

"I…. I did not…" Anira whimpered before he began to pull her along again. He was not being nice nor walking slow. Anira did not blame him for his anger. She was a foolish girl who should have known better than to speak ill to elves.

Thorin lead her into the Inn, up the stairs and into the room. He forced her back to sit upon her bed, locking their door. He stood before her, staring at her. She did not look up at him. She was deeply ashamed for her actions and wished that she could fix things for Thorin. Shaming him had not been her intention.

"Look at me, Anira." He said sternly. She shook her head before covering her face with her hands. He closed his eyes, rubbing his temples for a moment, trying to calm himself before he grabbed her wrists. She screamed, struggling wildly as he moved her hands from her face. He leaned down and kissed her roughly upon her lips. Her frantic struggle ended almost instantly as her eyes went wide. Her lips trembled and she kissed him back nervously. His lips were dry and chapped from being out in the brisk air for so long.

"I am not mad at you, Anira…" He whispered against her lips, releasing her wrists and wiping her tears away with his thumbs. His skin was rough, but his touch was soft against her face. Her skin was raw and red from all of her cry and wiping her tears away. He did his best not to hurt her any more than she was already hurting.

"But you should be… I disrespected royalty and shamed you… I deserve to be punished, Thorin. You can not let me get away with my behavior or I will never learn."

"You are punishing yourself more than I ever could…." Thorin whispered tenderly, kissing her forehead with a small sigh. "But if you feel I must punish you… You must sleep with me tonight."

Anira froze and stared up at him, her eyes wide. She shook her head frantically before trying to pull away from him again. She really should have seen this coming. She should have assumed that this would be what he wanted as her punishment.

"Thorin, no, not that, please not-" She whined. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly upon the lips.

"Not making love…. Sleeping… Is it wrong of me to want to sleep beside you in the same bed? To hold you in my arms and keep you safe as you rest? To feel your heart beat in time with my own? We will keep our clothing on and I will not push your boundaries… I promise you.." He said with a tender smile.

"You are a very good husband, Thorin… I must admit, I had very ill thoughts of you earlier… I felt like you loved that other woman and that was why you needed to see her so suddenly. I should not have thought so badly of you. You have always been kind to me and honest with me. Thank you…" She said quietly, smiling up at him.

Thorin looked at her sadly for a few moments, stroking her hair with a gentle touch. He could not tell her all the secrets he had been keeping. It broke his heart to think that he was unable to speak to her freely as a husband should be able to speak to his wife. He would just have to wait. One day there would be no secrets and no lies, but today was not that day.

"Can you still teach me to use a sword…?" Anira asked quietly, placing her hands upon his arms.

"I think we still have enough daylight to practice for at least a little while." He said with a small chuckle. "You need to dry your eyes…. You can not aim with tears blocking your vision." He said gently, teasing her. She nodded and wiped her eyes with trembling hands before standing again.

"Shall we go now?" She asked, grabbing the sword that he had brought for her the night before. She held it tightly in both hands, not exactly sure how to attach it to her person, or where. Thorin smiled and nodded as he grabbed his own sword from beside the bed.

"I think that would be a good idea." He said gently as he walked out of their room again.

He lead her on an extremely long walk, at least a mile outside of the village walls. There was a very large field, with some targets carved into trees, and some branches hanging from ropes, to give her moving targets to practice on. It looked as though he had spent hours out in the middle of these woods, building a proper place for her to practice her weaponry.

"Thorin… Did you put all of this together?"

"That I did, just for you. I wanted to give you a chance to get a feel for your weapon and be able to swing it accurately before you and I actually begin sparring. I have had experience with war and needing to fight to kill. I did not want to accidentally hurt you during your training. Do you like it?"

"Thorin, I think it's amazing. How did you accomplish this so quickly?"

"The men from the village helped me set it up, that's why I had to chop wood for them today." He said with a small laugh. "I wanted to make sure everything would be perfect, and it was… Until that elf showed up." He said with a bitter snort before turning away form her. He sat down upon a stump and looked at her. "Take your sword out and get a feel for it. Stab at the air and swing. Be careful of your back swing, do not accidentally hit yourself in the back." He said with a small smile.

Anira nodded and removed the sword and set the sheath upon the ground. It was heavy, but seemed to be almost perfectly balanced. She took a deep, nervous breath as she began to swing the sword through the air. She had a natural skill for it and Thorin did not seem as surprised as she was. He knew that all elves had a natural skill for weapons and was actually surprised when she had asked him to teach her. She really was not like the rest of the elves.

Hours passed this way and the sun was starting to set on the horizon, looking like a blazing fire through the trees. The first of the stars could be seen appearing in the navy sky. She had passed every test he had laid before her, hitting every target, even the moving ones. He was happy with how quickly she had caught on, it meant that they could continue their travels even sooner than expected.

"Alright, I think you are ready." Thorin said with a smile as he stood and rose his own sword. "Try to attack me and we will go from there…" He said gently. Anira stood nervously before quickly swinging her sword, closing her eyes tightly. She heard the sound of metal against metal and her arms were forced away. She was taken back by how strong he really was. She knew he did a lot of manual labor. It only made sense that he was strong, but he had always been so gentle with her. She was afraid to see this side of him. She opened her eyes and realized he was swinging at her now. She rose her sword and defended herself, but just barely. His blade would have caught her across the left shoulder.. She trembled and looked at him, horror upon her face. He was really acting like he wanted to hurt her. Perhaps he did want to hurt her, as revenge for her behavior earlier in the day. Did she really upset him that badly?

"Watch your footing." He said sternly as he pulled his sword back from her. There was a playful smile upon his face, as if he was teasing her. She did not find him funny and wondered why he thought this was so humorous. He stepped forward and swung his sword again, aiming for her neck this time. Anira was able to block his sword, forcing it away, but she stumbled over a rock. She cursed herself for not thinking about her footing when he suggested it. How was she supposed to be aware of her surroundings and defend herself at the same time? Her eyes went wide as she realized that was his plan. He wanted to teach her how to multitask and be situationally aware during the heat of battle. That was why there was no mercy, or at least, it seemed that way. She managed to catch herself before hitting the ground. She turned and realized that Thorin was still coming at her. She screamed nervously as she tried to get away. She swung her sword, knocking him away, but falling to the ground as he did so. He rose his sword above his head and acted as though he was going to split her skull. She looked at him frantically, trying to think. She thought he must have been caught up in his memories of war.

She did not know it, but her assumptions were right. All Thorin could hear was the dying cries of his kin around him. In his mind, he saw only orcs, and could smell the fresh blood of their wounds. He was not going to let them win then and he was not going to let them win now! He did not care how many Orc he had to slay, or what damage happened to him, he was not going to let his people down. He was going to be the king that they all deserved. He was going to reclaim their homeland and try to rebuild their lives. He was going to fix everything that Smaug had destroyed. As he stay lost within his thoughts, he did not realize that the being he continually swung his sword at was none other than his wife. Anira screamed at him to stop, but he did not. He stepped over her. She put her leg between his and spread them, knocking his feet out from under him. He stumbled and fell to his knees after letting out an indignant grunt as he lost his balance.

Anira took her chance and grabbed him by his arms, pulling him down and pinning him to the ground, his sword above his head. The grass was soft and looked dark blue in the moonlight. The sun had just barely set over the horizon and light was fleeting fast. She pinned him down as he struggled, a wild look in his eyes. He looked at her as though she were a rabid animal, trying to eat him alive.

"Thorin, stop!" She screamed loudly. He groaned and did not seem to listen to her, or even be able to hear her. He was so lost within his own thoughts that her words could not make their way into his head. She leaned down and locked her lips onto his, kissing him deeply. She trembled in fear, nervous that he was going to try and hit her or strangle her. She had no idea what to expect from this frantic episode he was having. He slowly began to struggle less beneath her. His arms went limp and she heard his sword hit the ground. She broke the kiss when his breathing slowed and his muscles relaxed within her grasp.

"Are you alright…?" He asked quietly as he looked up at her, finally remembering where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. He looked around frantically, realizing how dark it was now. How long had he been lost in his memories? He looked up at Anira and his eyes went wide as he noticed a cut upon her cheek. He reached up and brushed the blood away with his thumb gently. "I did not hurt you, did I?"

"No…" Anira said with a small smile as she rested her forehead against his. She was so happy to have him back and to see that he did still care for her. She released his wrists and placed her hands upon his chest. "Are you alright…? You seemed lost in the violence…" She whispered sadly, trying to keep her tears within her eyes. She did not want to start crying yet another time today. He must find her to be so unbearable at times.

"I was… I am so glad I did not hurt you… I think you are able to handle yourself with a weapon." Thorin said with a laugh before wrapping his arms around her tightly, holding her close. "I feel ashamed that I did not show mercy on you as we sparred, but I was not myself."

"You have suffered much, Thorin." She said tenderly as she slid her legs out slightly, laying upon him. She rested her cheek against his chest and listened to his heart beat with her eyes closed.

"I do not think I have suffered any more than anyone else. I have simply endured for the good of my people." Thorin said sternly, holding her more tightly. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the throbbing headache that his flashbacks had given him. He tried his best to focus on other things, better things. Anira was so close to him now. Her form was so warm and soft against his chest. He was bothered by his lack of guilt. She was just a child by the standards of elves and dwarves. She was so very fragile, with so much to learn. Why would she have picked him as a husband? After all, he had just tried to kill this beautiful creature. Yet, here she lay, holding him tightly as though nothing had happened between them. After all of the times he had yelled at her or made her cry. Even when he lied to her and cast her aside. Here she stayed, and here he felt that she would always stay. Her hair smelled like lilac beneath his nose and he could not help but to breath deeply, squeezing her slightly tighter. She let out a small squeak of surprise before giggling and snuggling closer to him.

He realized that his throbbing headache was fading, but he was having a different throbbing problem. He shifted nervously beneath her and he could feel every muscle in her body tense up all at once. She pressed against his chest and sat herself up. It did not help to have all of her weight over his groin. He let out another groan, closing his eyes, trying not to move his hips against her. How long was he going to have to wait before she would become one with him? He thought that intercourse was just a part of marriage, the binding part of it.

"Th-Thorin…." She said nervously as she tried to stand up. Thorin grabbed her by her thighs and held her against him, shaking his head.

"Do not move yet, please."

"B-but, Thorin!" She protested as she rested her trembling hands upon his, trying to pull his hands off of her.

"Anira, you won't become one with me and I will not make you, but for the love of the stars, let me enjoy this for just a moment! I am a man with the needs of men. Deny me now and I can not promise that you will get the option to deny me later."

Anira whimpered and nodded her head, closing her eyes nervously. Her whole body trembled as she sat upon his lap. She was so uncomfortable and she had no idea what to do now. She refused to just tell him why she would not be intimate with him, that would defeat the purpose. If he loved her, truly loved her, he would not be so hesitant to say it. She did not want to hear it if it was untrue. She wanted her love to be pure even if it took a long time to get that way. She slowly felt the throbbing manhood beneath her go flaccid and she trembled. When she finally opened her eyes, she could see that Thorin looked ashamed of himself.

"Are you going to be alright now…?" She asked quietly before slowly standing up. His hands just slid off of her now and he continued to lay upon the ground.

"You deserve a much better husband than I…" He said lowly before he sat up, brushing the leafs and twigs out of his hair. He stood up, brushing the dust and dirt off of his shirt and pants before looking at her.

"What makes you say that…?" She asked quietly.

"In the course of one day, I have yelled at you, lied to you, almost killed you and then still wanted nothing more than to make love with you, even though I'm perfectly aware that intimacy is not what you want." He said with a small, sad laugh.

"Do not feel that way, Thorin. You are a good man with a good heart. Things are rough right now, but they will not always be this way." She said sweetly as she leaned down and kissed him upon the lips again. He could hardly believe how much she wanted to be with him, even after she had seen him at his worst.

"You truly are a remarkable girl." He said quietly. "Seeing the silver lining around everything you have to face."

"I feel like thats why I was brought to you, Thorin." She giggled. "I am the light that balances out your darkness."

"That balance was all I ever wanted." He said as he grabbed his sword and put it back into the sheath. Anira picked up her sword as well and looked around. She could not find the sheath in the darkness. She regret having just set it down upon the ground earlier.

"I can't find my sheath!" She whined quietly as she continued to look around, dragging her feet in small circles across the ground, hoping to step on it or nudge it or something.

"Do not worry about it. We can find it in the morning. It is getting cold rather quickly now and I think we should go back to the Inn before we get frozen." He said with a small laugh. She nodded her head and followed him back into the town. There was only one guard at the gate when they arrived back. Not a single person was walking around within the village.

"Where is everyone…?" Anira asked nervously, standing closer to Thorin as she looked around. The torches were lit outside of the shops and houses, lighting the streets, but there were no people.

"I do not know. It does seem a bit suspicious." Thorin said sternly, his hand upon his sword as they continued their walk. He quickened his pace and she followed him in stride, never leaving his side.

They arrived at the Inn quickly and stepped inside. Everything seemed to be normal as he took a quick look around. He could hear Hellen and her husband talking in the kitchen, but he did not see it fit to bother them. He quickly walked up the stairs and into their room. He froze and stared at the room.

Absolutely everything within the room was gone. All of their blankets were no longer upon the beds. The sacks that contained their clothes and other belongings were also missing. It looked as though someone had robbed them, but everything else was completely untouched. Why would they only take the furs and fabrics? The better question was why Hellen let people into their room.

"Hellen!" Thorin yelled loudly as he turned and looked down the staircase. "Hellen! What is going on here!" He shouted angrily. He was trembling with rage and his face was flushed red.

"Thorin, calm down, they are just objects… They can be replaced…" Anira said nervously as she placed her hands upon his shoulders. He was so tense and burning hot to the touch.

"That is not the point, Anira. I want to know why she let them take our belongings!"

"I did not let them take anything!" Hellen called from below. She stepped into sight and her right arm was in a fabric sling across her chest. She had a dark purple bruise upon her left eye as she looked up at them. "They forced themselves in here and would not listen to reason!"

"Are you alright?" Thorin asked. His tone was much softer now as he looked upon the elderly, injured woman.

"I will heal, Thorin. It is you and your bride that I worry about. The queen insists that you stay through the winter! She told me to tell you…. That if you attempt to leave before she is ready to let you go, she will find you and she will make sure that you answer to our law. She is very displeased with the way your wife screamed at her in the street earlier today. I could not stop her. She told me that there is a small house about four miles north of here. She took all of your belongings there, or at least, that is what she said. She left your horses, but took your caravan and everything within it! Thorin, we tried to stop her. I swear that we did. You must believe me." Hellen whined loudly. Her voice was being choked out by tears and Anira had no idea what to do or what to think about all of this. She could hardly believe that the elf woman was so offended by such small statements. The woman's actions also enraged her and made her want to scream at the woman again.

"I do not blame you, Hellen. You have been very good to me through out the years. I am sorry that I lost my temper and got angry with you before asking what happened." He said gently, looking away and letting out a deep sigh as he tried to think about what to do. He could not believe that Valessfaeniel was going to such extreme lengths just to keep her daughter close to her. All of their lives would be better if the woman just gave up trying to reclaim what was lost to her. Thranduil made her give up her only child. Thorin doubted that the selfish, elven king would let Anira come home after twenty years. He knew for fact that the king would never allow it.

"I suppose this means we must stay the winter." Anira said quietly as she wrapped her arms around Thorin, resting her chin upon his head as she took a deep breath.

"I do believe you are right." He said sadly.

"I do not understand her actions." She said bluntly. "If she was so upset by my actions today, why not force us to leave? Why would she want to keep us within her grasp if she does not like me?" She whispered. "She would have let her guards kill me if she was truly as offended as she seems to be now. Something does not seem right about this woman, Thorin. Are you absolutely sure that she is not in love with you? She did seem to want to speak to you rather badly earlier today, especially if she made you lie to me so that you could see her… I feel as though she wants to ruin our marriage."

"You may be right, but only time will tell. Just know this. That elven queen of ice will never steal my heart from me. No one will." He said lowly, shaking his head.

"I knew that about you…" She said quietly. There was sadness in her voice before she released her husband. "I suppose we should head towards the house in the morning. It will be uncomfortable to try and sleep without all of our belongings tonight." She said, trying to smile. She wanted to lighten the mood, but she felt like she was going to be killed by the elvish woman in her sleep.

"No. We are going to go tonight. Right now." Thorin said sternly, shaking his head as he looked back at Anira. "If we ride fast, we may be able to catch her while she and her guards are still there. We could ask her why she is doing this to us over such a petty incident."

"Thorin, are you sure that is a good idea?"

"No, I am not, but I do not care. She has no right to play with peoples lives like this!" He shouted angrily as he began walking down the stairs. "Make sure you have access to your sword while you are on your horse. I pray that you will not need your weapon, but I do not want to trick you into believing you do not need it."

"Do you really think they would harm us…?" Anira asked nervously, wrapping her hands tightly around the hilt of her sword. She wanted so badly to be strong for Thorin, to be the kind of wife he deserved. Defending herself would make his life so much easier. If he did not have to rescue her, he could focus on the things that were far more important. Ruling his people, rebuilding lives, and what ever else was important to him.

"They wanted to kill you earlier. If the elven queen is not with them, I believe the elves are much more dangerous. She has the ability to cool their tempers, even if she can not cool her own." Thorin said with a grunt as he walked out the back door, towards the large stable that lay about twenty yards away. Anira followed him quickly, practically stepping upon his heels as she followed him. Thorin threw open the stable doors with ease. He made everything look so easy when he was mad. He no longer controlled his strength when his mind raced. He walked in and began to untie their horses. He handed her the ropes and looked up at her.

"Are you able to ride bare back, without a saddle?" He asked sternly.

"I can try." She said softly, taking the rope from him. "I am a very fast learner."

"That you are. I have faith. Just follow me and try to keep up." He said sternly before groaning as he looked up at the horse. "I forgot that we didn't have ponies…"

"Why on earth would you rather a pony?" Anira said with curiosity in her voice. He gave her an incredulous look and her face flushed pink. "I'm sorry…" She said as she tried to stop herself from giggling. She was so used to him being shorter than herself that she had not even thought about how that would affect other parts of his life.

"I will be fine." He grumbled quietly, feeling rather inadequate since she had indirectly called him short. He stepped onto one of the half doors that closed the stalls and hoisted himself upon the horse. He smiled triumphantly to himself as he looked down at her. "Are you coming?" He asked calmly as he walked the horse out of the stable before starting at a full run.

Anira grabbed her horse and struggled to pull herself onto its back. She blew out a deep breath, brushing her hair back from her face as she sat upon the horse. It let out a very loud neigh and stood up on its back legs before stamping down hard against the ground. She screamed, holding onto the horse for dear life, her arms wrapped tightly around its neck. She sat up when the horse calmed and whimpered before stroking its neck tenderly with nervous hands.

"Follow Thorin…." She whispered nervously, urging the horse to move forward. She had never ridden horses before and prayed that somehow this creature would understand her need.

Her prayers were answered as the horse shook its head for a brief moment before taking off at a full run. She was caught by surprise and almost went flying off of the horse. She held on tightly, trying her best to move her body with the creature she rode so that she would not be as sore in the morning. She could not catch Thorin, but she could see him in the distance. At least, she could until they hit the thicker woods. Her horse slowed to a walk, weaving between trees and finding stable footing as it roamed. She looked around nervously, unable to see almost anything within the darkness. She could hear the footsteps of Thorin's horse not too far ahead of her. She was surprised at how well she could hear in the darkness. Maybe that was one of her elvish traits that she just had not noticed before. It was not very often that she went out in complete blackness. She could not even see the outlines of the trees or bushes. The leafs were so thick above her that she could not see the moon or the stars. She found herself thinking that this whole journey was a trap. The elven queen made her very uncomfortable and she could not place why. She was sure that many woman thought her to be a whore for marrying a man much older than herself. A dwarfish man at that. The difference was that other women did not voice their opinions, at least not within ear shot of Anira. The audacity that a comment like that takes! An absolutely dreadful way for a queen to act. Her husband truly must have been a terrible man to encourage such behavior.

She could see light in the distance then. Thorin's voice lifted angrily through the darkness. She could hear him clearly, but could not understand his words. He must have been speaking Dwarfish. She wanted so badly to understand him, but she did not need to. She knew that his words were cruel and rude, as they should be. There were a few things she would like to say to the elves as well, but she was already in trouble with them. She was not willing to risk prolonging their punishment.

"All of you, quit touching our belongings and get out of here!" Thorin's voice rose through the trees. As Anira got closer, she could see three elves standing outside of the lovely wooden house, looking down at Thorin as he yelled. They were the same three guards from earlier in the day. What kind of a queen sent guards to do her dirty chores? What a truly terrible ruler she was.

"As you wish…" The young woman known as Raveena said gently as she lead the trio into the darkness. Anira could not hear their footsteps and it made her very nervous. They were like ghosts and it made her very uncomfortable.

Anira got down from her horse and looked at Thorin nervously as she held the ropes in her hands, twisting them nervously. As much as she hated to admit it, she was in love with this little home. It was built within the side of a rock ledge that towered above them. She could probably climb it and pretend it was a mountain. It was old, solid, and covered in moss and vines. Parts were crumbling, but all things crumble with enough time.

The home itself was made out of logs. More like whole trees, layered and stacked to create a cozy, solid looking little house. There were flower beads that were wilted from the cold, but they were all around the border of the house. The door was in the middle of the front wall that stuck out of the mountain and it had two windows, one on each side. She could not see through them for there were drapes inside the home that shielded its contents from them. As upset as she was about needing to stay here through the winter, she did not mind staying as long as she got to stay here. This house had the feeling of love surrounding it. It felt almost like magic. Their cart was right beside the house, with the back door open. It looked as though the elves were about to start unpacking their belongings. Why on earth would they bother to be so helpful if they were prisoners here?

"Oh, Thorin, is this really where we are to stay?" She whispered, dropping the ropes she was holding. Her horse stood still, lowering its head to chew on some of the dying green grass. She stepped closer and placed her hand upon the wall, tracing her fingers across the wood with a small smile.

"Yes, this-" Thorin started his words angrily, but then he looked at her. He could see the look of happiness upon her face. He knew then why Valessfaeniel was going to make them stay through the winter. The woman must have known that her child would love this home. Thorin had taken her so far from everything that she knew and made her feel safe. Perhaps it was right to give her a chance to settle into a home. They would be able to enjoy the company of one another without the stress of violence or travel. There would be time to talk and get to know each other more intimately than they had been able to as of yet. He smiled to himself slightly and grabbed her hand gently with his own, squeezing tenderly.

"Oh, Thorin." She whispered before she turned and smiled at him. "I feel so silly, but I love this house…. Can we see what the inside looks like?" She asked eagerly. Thorin nodded and released her hand, twisting the bronze handle on the door and pushing it open for her.

She gasped as a burst of hot air hit her. She stepped inside quickly and looked around. There were several rooms, she had not expected that. The main room had a fire roaring and crackling, heating all of the small home. As she walked deeper, there was a doorway carved into stone. There were elegant elvish markings in the stone. She stepped inside and torches were lit. There was a small bedroom with a single, large bed towards the center of the far wall. There were two dressers, one on each side of the room. They appeared to be made of a mahogany, but she could not tell in such a dim light. She looked up and laughed to herself as she realized there was a skylight carved into the stone. There appeared to be a thick sheet of glass, probably to support the weight of rain and snow. All of their blankets and furs were laying upon the bed neatly, folded back as though someone had taken time to make the bed. It was almost as if they were treating her and Thorin as guests, not prisoners. She could not fathom why they would go to these extremes.

"Anira!" Thorin called, following her slowly.

"Thorin, I love this house." She said sternly as she turned around and looked back at him with a stern look on her face. "If we are to be prisoners here, I am at least going to enjoy it. Every moment of it!" She exclaimed excitedly as she stepped closer to him. "I'm going to start unpacking our things. I want to make this house feel like a home for both of us." She said with a bright smile.

"I think that sounds like a great idea. I know it is late, but I am going to go out and see what I can't find for game. I think that a hot, fresh meal would do some good tonight. I know that we have bread, potatoes and spices. Those were things I noticed in the cart when your sister first brought us there." He said with a smile. "Will you be alright here by yourself while I go look?"

"I think that I will be just fine, Thorin." Anira giggled as she kissed him tenderly upon his lips. "I will find our stuff and make what I can to ready a stew. If you don't find anything, we will at least have a hot soup to eat with some bread." She said tenderly. Thorin could not help but smile as he kissed her back. She was so optimistic about everything. There was truly nothing in this world dark enough to dampen her spirits. She was absolutely the kind of girl he needed in his life. He turned from her and walked back out of the house and into the woods. He held his sword tightly within his hands as he walked off, fearlessly into the darkness.

Anira smiled to herself and walked outside a few moments after him. She could hear him walking, but could not see him. She hummed happily to herself as she reached into the back of the caravan and grabbed their bags.

Thorin's back was upside down and she had not noticed until she lifted it from the cart. All of the contents spilled out upon the ground and she sighed deeply to herself. She knelt down and picked up his clothing, folding each piece neatly before placing them back into his back. That's when it caught her attention, with its bright red cover, burning brightly in the darkness.

She reached down and picked up the book bound in red leather and smiled before curiosity and confusion crossed her face. She ran her fingers over the smooth leather and wondered why Thorin would have a book with elvish lettering on it. She stood up, tossing both bags over her shoulder. She scanned the ground to make sure she did not miss anything. She smiled when she was satisfied that she had grabbed everything. Now she was going to head inside and see if she could not find something small and metal to pick the lock with. She knew that Thorin had been keeping secrets from her and she had a gut feeling that this was one of them. Could he really blame her for wanting to know the truth? No, of course he couldn't!

"I wonder what secrets you have…" She whispered to herself before walking into the small house and closing the door behind herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Red Journal

Anira walked back into the bedroom and set the book down upon the bed. She unpacked her belongings into the dresser on the left side of the room, and unpacked Thorin's into the dresser opposite her own. She wanted to do everything she could to make their stay here comfortable. Having a lovely home was not enough, it needed to feel like a home. There had to be love and safety within a home. She hoped so deeply that Thorin would want to stay in this house longer than just the winter. She also knew that these hopes were pointless. He would want to get back to his home within the Blue Mountains as quickly as he possibly could. She did not blame him for wanting to go home. She did not miss her own home as much as she thought she would. However, she did miss her sisters more than anything. The longing to go home to her sisters was suppressed by her stronger desire to see the Blue Mountains. Her city was made from stone, true, but she wanted to see a city built beneath it. She hung up both of the sacks on small roots that were growing through the side of the cave wall. She giggled to herself, liking how earthy their new home was. The thought of leaving pained her and she had only just arrived.

That's when she turned, looking at the book. It was calling to her, whispering into her ear. It wanted to be opened, to be read. She could not tell if it was her own curiosity that made it seem this way, or if there was a magic within the book. If it truly was elvish, it would be magic. She looked around then, crinkling her nose slightly as she thought about what could pick the lock on the book. She walked over to the bed and sat down upon it. It was light and airy, unlike any bed she had ever had. It felt more like a cloud than anything else. She picked up the book and set it on her lap, inspecting the bronze lock.

"Lets see… What would work to open you…" She whispered to herself quietly. Then she heard it click, and the lock opened within her hands. She stared at it, her jaw falling open slightly. This book truly was elvish! How else would a lock open itself without key or coaxing? She took this as a sign, a sign that she was meant to read this book and have at least some of Thorin's secrets revealed to her. She opened the book and smiled. The book was addressed to Thorin, so she knew for fact that it was his book now.

She smiled as she began reading, but as she read, her smile faded and her heart broke within her chest. She was told that her mother was dead, but in reality her mother had abandoned her and left her to outlive the humans who raised her. She wrote to Thorin about having an eternal heir, should he marry Anira. She stopped reading at the end of that first page, tears sliding down her cheeks and splashing upon the paper, smearing the ink. So, this was it. This was the answer to all of her sought after questions. Thorin did not love her and had absolutely no intention of ever loving her. All he wanted was to make sure that the line of Durin never ended, and she was his pawn in doing so. He captured her heart and was going to make her his slave, bound by marriage for the rest of her immortal life. She knew that she could not remarry after his death, nor would she want to after how this terrible marriage was turning out.

"Anira." Thorin called as he got back, walking in the door. He had caught two rabbits, more than enough for both of them for one night. "Anira, where are you?" He called, setting the rabbits down on a table near the fire place, setting his sword against the wall. He stopped and listened for a moment, worried that she was not answering him. That was when he heard her crying from the next room. He walked towards the room and knocked on the wall before entering. He opened his mouth to speak but then noticed the book within her hands.

"So this is why you married me…." Anira whispered sadly, tears still streaming down her cheeks as she spoke. The book slid from her hands and hit the ground, making a small cloud of dust upon the floor. The dust settled quickly and she covered her face with her hands as she began to cry harder. They were horrible, wracking sobs that shook her entire body as she let the page she had read sink into her mind. Thorin was a pig, a terrible, horrible, awful person. He did not deserve to have a wife that loved him so much when he himself would not ever love her. How could she trust a single word he said from here on out? She knew he had secrets, but she expected nothing this dark or selfish.

"Anira, that book is not why I married you." Thorin said gently as he stood closer, kneeling down to pick up the book. He held it in his hands and it locked itself almost instantly. He looked down at it, wondering why on earth it would have unlocked for her in the first place. He could not question a book, but he would question Valessfaeniel when he saw her next.

"Then why! Why did you marry me, Thorin? You hated me the moment you realized I was an elf." Anira spat, not removing her hands from her face. Her voice was muffled and he could not hardly understand her. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. She screamed and cried out in agony, trying to pull away from him. He held her tightly, forcing her hands down against her lap so that he could keep her still.

"I hated you because one clan of elves betray me and my kin…" He whispered. "It was unfair of me to judge you for their actions and I know that now. I fixed your necklace, didn't I?"

"The necklace from a mother who never wanted me…" She whispered angrily.

"That is not true, Anira. You know you are speaking lies out of anger, just calm down, please."

"I will not calm down! Why do you have this book, Thorin?" She demanded, looking up at him finally. There was a deep hatred within her eyes, the likes of which he had never seen in her.

"It was given to me by Vera-"

"Vera knew too!" She shouted, struggling and finally freeing her hands. She shoved him away and stood up, continuing to sob. It was a horrible sound, her sobbing. She sounded like a wounded animal and it broke his heart. He had not felt such pain of loss since Erebor was taken by Smaug. It was a pain that he had hoped never to endure again, but here he was, looking at a broken creature that made him want to weep.

"Vera did not ever read it. You should not have read it either." Thorin said quietly. He was trying so hard to get her to calm down while keeping his own temper under control. The last thing he needed right now was to lose his temper and make her suspicions more accurate.

"How far did you read?"

"Does it matter how far I read? The first page told me all I needed to know! You never cared for me, you never intended to! All you care about is having your name continue on forever after you are gone. You are willing to leave me alone for all eternity, unable to leave or remarry, just because you want an heir that will live forever. You truly are a selfish man, Thorin Oakenshield. I just wish that I could have seen that sooner. Maybe I would still be at home, with my sisters, who truly love me."

"If you did not come with me, Krystoff would be having this argument with you just as I am now." He said coldly, starting to grow impatient with her attitude. "Except he would not have been a nice man. He would not have given you the option to sleep within your own bed. He would have ripped your clothes off like an animal, spread your legs and force himself-"

"Stop!" She screamed, covering her hands with her ears. "I can not believe that any man could be so cold and cruel!" She shouted, tears still streaming down her face. She breathed deeply, but only continued to sob between each breath.

"You need to trust me."

"How? How can I trust you after all of these lies!"

"Have I not kept you safe? Kept you warm? I have done my very best to protect you. I swore that I would protect you with my very life and I intend to do just that, Anira."

"Can you protect me from yourself?" She hissed angrily as she looked up at him, fire of hate within her eyes. So this was it, the final straw. She had put up with everything else he threw at her flawlessly, but this was enough to break her will. There was no golden lining around this.

"You need to keep reading the book. Read passed the first page and you will see why I needed to protect you." He said gently as he knelt down and took her hands within his own, kissing her knuckles, one by one. His lips were tender against her trembling fingers. His facial hair tickled her slightly and she looked away from him. It was hard to hate him when he said such sweet words and followed them with such sweet actions.

"I do not need to read anymore of the book, Thorin." She said quietly, closing her eyes. Her voice was very calm now, very collected. He looked up at her, smiling, hoping that perhaps she had finally calmed down.

"But Anira, you-"

"I have read all I needed to know. None of the words matter now. You have already trapped me into marriage with you. There is no escape, no matter how badly I want out. My only escape would be an untimely death."

"Do not speak such words. You do not mean them."

"But I do, Thorin." She said gently as she looked down at him. "You will never have an heir, not from me. I knew that something about this marriage was not right. That was why I would not sleep with you. I see now that my feelings were justified. You are a very heartless, selfish man. It is simply inhuman to be so cold."

"How dare you take my heir away from me! I am selfish? I who am willing to share everything with you? I who am willing to give up all hope of Erebor to just stay with you!"

"If you force me to have your child… Your kin will have forever to wait out the dragon…" She whispered sadly. "Why would you need to go to Erebor?"

"Anira, you need to silence your tongue right this moment. You have no right to speak to me in such a way!"

"I am your wife! I have every right to speak to you this way. I have the only right to speak down to you, Dwarf!" She snapped bitterly, trembling with rage as she looked down at him. He stood up and glared up at her, grabbing her by her arms and forcing her to sit back upon the bed.

"Are you? Are you really a wife? Because you do not act like a wife! You act like a spoiled little princess who has no idea what awaits her in the world! You are throwing a tantrum like a child and I did not marry a child! I married a woman, but I do not see her now. You are no wife to me. A wife would not speak to me the way you speak to me."

"I thought I married a man, but I married a goblin, or perhaps he is a troll!" She screamed angrily as she looked up at him, tears of anger within her eyes. "You will never have an heir…. And…. I do not… L-love you." She said, her lower lip quivering as she spoke. She closed her eyes and cursed her own weakness. Oh, how she longed for the words to be true. She wished they would cut him as deeply as they cut her. She did love him, with all of her breaking heart. She wished that she did not love him, especially after all of this torment and pain.

"Anira… Please… Calm yourself.." He whispered gently. He did not understand why the book had upset her more than anything else he had done to her so far. Why would she not even let him explain.

"No wonder you did not have a wife… You are a horrible man. You would be a horrible king… And an awful father… You do not deserve to rule over anyone or anything." She said quietly.

"How dare you…" He hissed angrily as he focused his gaze upon her face. All he could see now was a weak elf. He saw nothing of the woman he cared for and he did not even notice the drastic change within his thoughts. He gripped her arm hard as he spoke to her. "Take back what you have said… Pick up the book… And continue reading…" He said slowly, tugging her arm slightly. She cried out in pain as she looked up at him, shaking her head.

"Th-Thorin, you're hurting me!" She protested quietly. Her anger was quickly being replaced by fear. Caught up within her own rage, she forgot that she was all alone with him in the woods, miles from any other living being, and he was much stronger than she. He could kill her out here if he truly desired and she had given him every reason to want to.

"I do not care. I am not letting go until you say what I want to hear." He growled lowly, holding her arm even tighter. She cried out in pain as she tried to pull his hand off of her arm. She was clawing at his skin and hers, trying to get beneath his hand to pull it away. She could not. She could feel her skin beneath her nails and she could feel the blood dripping from the scratched flesh.

"Thorin, let go! You are hurting me!" She screamed louder, looking up at him frantically.

He had kind of a twisted, spiteful look on his face as he watched her. He almost seemed to be enjoying her panic. As a matter of fact, he was enjoying her panic. He liked to see that he could strike terror into her heart without even trying. This was something she would learn to deal with in their marriage. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he felt it. He watched her eyes go wide as she began screaming.

He was so lost within his anger that he did not realize how tightly he was gripping her arm. He had snapped the bone in her forearm in two. He finally released her arm and stepped back from her, looking down at his hands in shock, unable to believe that he had hurt her. If she did not think he was the worst man on the planet before, she surely did now.

Anira cried loudly, holding her arm to her chest as she rocked back and forth. Her scream of agony was unlike anything he ever heard. He had never heard elves feel pain, he did not even know they could.

"Anira…" He said quietly, stepping closer to her, reaching out. She reached up and slapped his hand away, crying so hard that she could barely breath.

"Get out!" She screamed angrily. "Get out of this house, right now" She screamed at the top of her lungs, grabbing an oil lamp off of the night stand and throwing it at him. He lifted his arms over his face and the glass lamp shattered against his bracers.

He knew better than to argue with her. He turned and left the bedroom quickly, walking out of the house and into the cold night. He took a deep breath, shivering slightly. He could not go back inside for his cloak, not now. He had no choice but to stay out here until she was ready to see him, if she would ever be ready to see him. The guilt he felt was unequalled. She truly felt as though he did not love her. Why would she believe such blasphemy?

He groaned, smacking himself in the head when he finally realized it. He had never, not even once, told her that he loved her. He wanted to when they were together in the Inn, but he froze. He did not want to seem like he was rushing her, but she had proclaimed her love so many times already. How could he have been so blind to not see her pain? Why did she not just ask him if he loved her? She could not ask him, she did not want him to say it just because she wanted to hear it. He understood that now. He looked back at the door and shook his head. He could not say it to her now, it would be meaningless. She would remember this night as the worst night of her life if he tried to explain his love now. She was too upset with him to listen to a word he said anyway. He decided he was going to prove his love, by doing something so meaningful that there was no way she could doubt his heart. But what? What could he do that would show her. He did not know.

He began walking off into the woods, wondering what he could do for her. He thought that walking through the woods on his own may help clear his thoughts. Perhaps Anira would be willing to talk to him like civil human beings when he arrived home. He doubted it, but could not blame her for not wanting to see him.

Anira stood up and groaned in pain. Thank goodness for the ability of healing naturally. If she was not an elf, she knew that this injury would be much worse. She went out into the larger area with the fireplace and looked around. She grabbed a metal pole, used to stoke fires and laid it upon the table that lay under the window. She rested her arm next to it and took a deep breath. With her free hand, she cracked her bone back into place. Pain shot up her arm like fire and caused her to scream in agony. She quickly ripped off pieces of fabric from the end of her dress, tying the metal rod to her arm, so that the bone would heal correctly. She could not believe that Thorin broke her arm! She leaned against the wooden wall and trembled, tears stinging at her eyes. Why was she so quick to take the words of the journal more seriously than the words of her husband? She did not even know where he went. Hopefully he would come back, so that she could apologize. She truly was in love with him. Why else would she want to apologize after he broke her arm? A small smile crossed her lips as she stared up at the ceiling, shaking her head slightly.

She jumped as she heard a knock at the door. She sat up nervously and looked around. Thorin would not knock. He never knocked when it was his own home. She noticed that when they were staying at the Inn. She nervously grabbed his sword which he had set next to the fireplace. She shifted it in her hand free hand nervously, wincing. It was heavy! It weighed like a stone and she was certain that if she needed to defend herself, she would not be able to with this weapon. She did her best to carry it, leaning it beside the door before she opened it.

There stood two dwarves, both of which looked to be older than Thorin. One of them had long white hair with an even longer white beard. There were strands of light brown here and there, but it mostly looked like snow. He wore plain, brown robes and had a rather happy smile upon his elderly face. The other dwarf, however, was much more intimidating. He was wearing what looked like armor and he was covered with weapons and tattoos. His head was bald, but he had long hair growing around the tattooed bald spot. They both looked at her, seeming very surprised that she was the one who opened the door. Had they been expecting Thorin? How did they know to find Thorin here, of all places?

"Good evening." Anira said nervously with a small smile, trying her best to be polite if they were in fact friends of Thorin's.

"Yes, yes it is." The elder of the two said, looking around. "Balin, at your service." "And Dwalin." The frightening dwarf said with a deep voice. They both bowed in unison and smiled at her. She stood, dumbfounded for a moment before standing aside and granting them entrance into her small home.

"Welcome, please, come in." She said quietly. "Can I help you with something?" "We are looking for Thorin." Dwalin said sternly as he looked at her. He had no kindness in his eyes and she felt as though he might attack her at any moment.

"Thorin is not here right now. You are welcome to wait until he comes back."

"Where is he?" Dwalin asked angrily, stepping in front of her.

"I do not know where he is. I forced him to leave and-"

"You forced him out into the cold on a night as cold as this?"

"After he broke my arm." Anira said, holding up her splinted arm. "Yes, I did force him to leave."

"He broke yer arm? You must have done something aweful to deserve that kind of a treatment. Not knowing where he is... I think you are lying, lass." Dwalin said sternly as he grabbed his large hammer and held it in both of his hands. "Are you going to tell us where he is, or are we going to have to make you?"

"Dwalin, she is just a child." Balin said quietly. "Do not threaten her so."

"Brother, do you not find it strange that an elf is dwelling within the house we were told our prince was staying? I know how he feels about dwarves, just as well as you do. I think she has done something to him."

"I have done nothing to him!" Anira snapped angrily. "Thorin is here with me on his own free will! Just wait a while and he will come back, I promise!" She said nervously, taking a step back from the dwarf.

"I do not trust you." He said before he lunged at her.

"Thorin!" Anira screamed as loud as she could before the dwarf warrior was upon her. She screamed as best she could, but he was even stronger than Thorin. She had no chance of fighting him off, not by herself. He forced her down to her knees and held the handle of his weapon against her neck, pulling on both sides with both hands. He was standing behind her. She could not breath nor push the handle away. Tears slid down her face as her face turned blue from lack of oxygen.

Thorin was running back towards the house as quickly as his legs would carry him. He had heard Anira scream his name while he was already starting to walk back. Something horrible must have found her in order for her to want to see him. He ran to the house and swung the wooden door open. The sight that greeted him made him scream in anger.

"Dwalin, release her!" Thorin screamed angrily as he ran to the other dwarf, punching him hard across the face. This caused his weapon to drop upon Anira, crushing her hand beneath the weight of the hammer. She screamed in pain, curling into a little ball on the ground, whimpering in terror. She could hear the two men scuffling and screaming at one another in their own language, but she did not care. All dwarves were cruel, she knew this now. She was starting to hate the entire race.

"Anira, are you alright...?" Thorin whispered tenderly as he knelt down and placed a hand upon her shoulder. Anira looked up at him and shook her head, holding her broken hand against her chest. She slowly sat up and looked at him. All of her pain was starting to numb, but she could feel her bones trying to heal themselves. It was making her sore and causing a sick feeling in her stomach.

"I am not alright, Thorin. Today has been..." She laughed sadly. "The worst day in all of my life. First, I find out that my husband does not love me. Then, he breaks my arm. Now, some brute of a neanderthal dwarf tried to kill me just because I am an elf!" She screamed before standing up. Her legs trembled and threatened to give out beneath her. She walked to the door and looked into the darkness.

"Anira, it is not safe. You can not go out alone." Thorin said gently. He wanted so badly to tell her he loved her, but he knew he could not, not now. She would not belive him now.

"I do not care. Anywhere is safer than staying here with you!" She screamed angrily. "I have had enough of dwarves for one day!" She shouted before slamming the door behind herself. She walked out into the darkness, not caring what may be waiting for her out there.

"That one is real brave, speaking to royalty in such a way." Dwalin said with a grunt as he looked at Thorin.

"What was she talking about, Thorin? Who is that girl to you?" Balin asked gently, concern upon his wrinkled face. Thorin looked at his two guests and rubbed the back of his head, trying to find the most delicate way to break it to them. He decided then that he did not care. They could think what they would of him, but they would not leave him or respect him any less.

"She is my wife." He said sternly. "Despite what she believes, I love her. I love her more than I have ever felt in all of my life. She is just a child, I know, but as am I. We are both too young to marry by the laws of our people, but the laws of men work differently. We were bound by Ratagast the Brown wizard." He said confidently, holding his ground as he looked at them. "She is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. Lovlier and worth more than all of the gold that lays within Erebor. If I am graced to have her as my wife until my death, I will consider myself a very honored man."

The two dwarves sat in silence for a few moments before Balin walked to Thorin and wrapped his arms around the younger dwarf.

"I just want you happy, laddy. If this young creature makes you happy. I like her and suggest you keep her around."

"I would like to keep her around as long as I still have breath." Thorin said sternly before looking at Dwalin. "I want you to apologize to her when she comes back, is that understood."

"Fine." Dwalin grunted as he picked up his hammer and put it on his back with the rest of his weapons. "When she comes back, I will tell her I am sorry." He said sternly, though he did not seem to mean his words. He thought that the elf maid was some kind of a witch. Why else would Thorin have married her? After what happened with Thranduil and his people, Thorin was not overly fond of elves. This was common known fact.

"How did you two find me here? Anira and I have not been here longer than maybe an hour or two. I have sent word to no one of my location." Thorin said sternly as he looked at the other two dwarves. "What on earth are you two doing so far from home, and so close to winter?"

"We came looking for you, laddy." Balin said with a small smile as he looked up at Thorin. Even among dwarves, Balin was shorter than most. "We thought you would have been back by now. We knew you wanted to go further North than Osterberg this time. It is nice to know that we were on the right path." He said with a gentle smile before sighing. "We are walking towards Osterberg, about to stop for the night. That's when we heard some elves talking to one another in the distance. They said something about how they had no idea why their queen would want to keep the dwarf here over the winter months. I could only assume that the only dwarf around these parts who would anger the elvish royalty would be yourself."

"It was not I who angered her… It was Anira." Thorin said with a groan before he sat back upon one of the rickety wooden chairs. It creaked and groaned in protest when it was sat upon, but stayed strong, holding the weight. "We were in the town…" He said quietly. "I was working and suddenly Anira was enraged as the elves passed us. She claims that the elven queen called her a whore, simply because she was married to a dwarf. I do not know… I did not hear the woman say a word, but Anira insisted that she did. She began screaming at the queen and her guards almost killed my wife. The queen stopped them and just stared at us… At the time, I did not understand why it happened, but I do now."

"What happened?" Balin asked gently, sitting down upon a chair that sat across the room from Thorin, near the window.

"The elven queen is her mother. Valessfaeniel was forced to marry Thranduil years ago and he forced her to give up her only child, my Anira." He said sadly as he looked down at his hands.

It was at that point that Thorin told them everything that had happened since he arrived in Maridok. He told them how he had met Anira and instantly had a distaste for her simply because of her race. She proved that she was not like the rest of them and was proving it to him still. He told them of the Red Journal that was given to him by Vera and written by Valessfaeniel. He closed his eyes, trying to keep himself from reliving the horror of reading it. He told them that the book was the reason her arm was broken when they had arrived. She had found the book and read it. The magic within the book made it open for her when she was not ready to accept the words upon its pages.

"She thinks that I am a terrible man and husband. She is not completely wrong…" Thorin said as the conclusion as he looked at his two friends. "I do not know what I can do to change her mind now."

"Thorin…" Balin said sadly, shaking his head. "This young creature has suffered much in a short period of time… Now she is out in the woods, by herself."

Thorin sat up straight as he looked at the door and then around the room. He had hardly realized she was still gone. He was so engulfed in his story that he did not even know how long she had been gone now. He stood up and quickly walked into their bedroom. His face went pale when he realized that her sword was propped against the wall beside the bed. He walked back to Balin and Dwalin with a hard look upon his face. He grabbed his sword from beside the door and turned back to them.

"We need to go find her. She should be back by now…" He said sternly. He threw open the door and the sound he heard made his heart shatter within his chest. He could hear her screaming, but he did not know from where. She was silenced then and he feared the worst. He turned back and realized that his friends had already taken up arms and were willing to follow him into battle, should they need to. The loyalty of his kin never ceased to amaze him.

Anira did not know how long she had been walking, but she was shivering terribly. Her whole body was sore from trying to compensate for the cold. She had never felt so foolish. Storming out of a warm house because of her anger was truly a terrible decision. She had removed the splint from her arm early in her track. Her anger made her pain disappear and she did not feel it. Her arm had seemed to set correctly, but she would not know for sure unless she saw a doctor. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, whining as she felt Thorin's ring almost fall of of her thumb. It was so large that she could not wear it on any other finger. It did not even fit securely on her thumb. She adjusted it quickly before crossing her arms again. The wind whipped through her hair, causing it to sting her face. She brushed her hair back with trembling hands, but it did not stay still for long. She could hear footsteps, but not clearly. Through the trees and the wind, there was not much that could be heard. She wondered just how far from home she was. Were Thorin and his friends looking for her? Of course they weren't. They had no reason to come looking for her. As far as she could tell, all of them wanted her dead. Even Thorin would want her dead now, after she refused to give him and heir. None of his people even knew they had been married. He could leave her here to die and go on with his life without her. These thoughts pained her, but she would not blame him if this was the road he picked. No man should have to put up with such a terrible marriage.

"Oh, what do we have here?" A mans voice called from behind her. She gasped and turned around quickly. She reached for her belt and her eyes went wide when she realized she did not have her sword.

"P-please…" She whispered, her teeth chattering with cold. "I do not want any trouble. I am just trying to get home."

"Oh, what a coincidence! We are on our way home too." The man laughed, smiling ear to ear. His teeth with yellowed and crooked. He looked as though he had not taken a bath in months. His hair was knotted and greasy, from what she could tell. Behind him, Anira could see at least the forms of three more men. She trembled and took a few nervous steps back, not wanting to let him get too close.

"Now, what is an elf doing so far away from her realm?"

"I belong to no realm." Anira snapped angrily as she continued to back away from him.

"Oh, really? So then, what brings you towards these parts of the woods? These are dangerous places for people who do not know how to fend for themselves. I do not think you are here alone, Miss. Who are you here with?"

"I am here with no one." She said sternly. "I am completely on my own." She said sternly. She had no idea who these men were or what they wanted. Despite her arguments with Thorin, she did not want to endanger him if she did not have to.

"She looks cold, boys. I think we should warm her up." She heard a man whisper behind her. Before she could even turn around to look, his arms were around her, pinning her arms to her chest. He was warm, but he smelled like death and smoke. She gagged and struggled, crying out softly as she tried to get away.

"Let me go, please!" She protested loudly as she looked around. She realized now that there were eight of them in sight, including the one who was holding her. She did not even want to know how many were behind her.

"Now now, what is this?" The first man asked, grabbing her hand and pulling the ring off of her pinky. He held it up to his face and squinted at it, examining it. He looked back at her and smiled devilishly as he held it up to her face. "This is dwarfish make. Where did you get this?"

"It was a gift." Anira snapped angrily, still struggling to escape the man who held her.

"Oh, a gift, was it? From who? Dwarfs do not really come this far north… And they do not give away treasure. They hoard it for themselves, thinking nothing of the needs of anyone else. What did you do to get this?" He demanded coldly. He reached out and grabbed her hair, yanking her head back.

"I did nothing! It was a gift from a friend, that is all!" She demanded, screaming as she felt the pain of her hair being pulled. She thought that he may pull it out by the roots if he did not ease up soon.

"I think that maybe you are a whore for the dwarves… Why else would they pay you with lovely trinkets?" He hissed angrily as he licked up her neck. She gagged at the slimy sensation that touched her skin, but there was nothing she could do to stop him.

"I am no ones whore!" She screamed angrily, lifting her knee and catching him in his manhood, the man let out a grunt and stumbled backwards, holding himself in pain. He glared at her before standing up straight.

"If what she says is true, maybe we should make a liar out of 'er?" He laughed, looking around at the men around him. "I think that maybe we will just take what she is worth and then just leave her here." He said coldly as he walked closer to her. "You will regret hitting me, girl." He hissed, balling his hand into a fist and punching her hard in the stomach. She took a sharp gasp of air as the force hit her. She felt as though she could not breath, she struggled for air as the larger man still held her from behind. She thought she may throw up, but she did not.

"Anything else you want to say to us, while you still have your tongue?" The man hissed angrily.

Anira looked at him with wide, tear filled eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs. She so badly wanted to scream for Thorin, but she knew that she could not. He would not want to come rescue her now. She told him that she hated him and did not want to be with her, why would he bother to save her after that? If these men killed her, it would make his life just that much easier. He would not have to figure out what to do with her or how to get rid of her.

"Shut 'er up!" The man growled angrily.

The man behind her removed his arms from her and quickly tied a piece of cloth around her mouth, tightly. She felt some strands of hair ripped out of her head as he tied the knot around her face. She whimpered passed the cloth and swung her arms wildly, trying to get away from them. The man behind her threw her down against the ground and grabbed her by her ankles. She screamed and rolled onto her back, kicking wildly. She made contact with his jaw, though it was no where near as hard as she would have liked to hit him. The man who had licked her was standing above her.

"Stop struggling." He said calmly before he stepped on her wrist. She cried out passed the gag and shook her head wildly. She felt her wrist crack beneath his weight and the fiery pain shot up her arm. She looked up at him and immediately regret it. She saw his fist coming towards her and that was it. There was suddenly no pain, no fear and no vision.

"Good. It's about time you got her to stop makin' noise." The large man who held her grunted. He was all muscle, with a tiny head upon the broad shoulders. He looked as though he had no neck and he had no hair. There were two beady little black eyes and he looked like he was less intelligent than a rock.

"Pick her up and carry her to camp. I am not finished with her. I want to know where she got this ring. It must be worth a fortune." He said to himself.

The larger man nodded and knelt down, picking Anira up and throwing her over his shoulder as he walked off into the darkness. It was hard to believe that anyone knew where they were going in such blackness. The first man followed the larger man with quick footsteps. He did not believe that the elf girl was out here alone. Last thing he wanted was for her companions to find them. It was easy to over power one elf maid, but it would be a blood bath if they had to face more than one. Even if just one elf trained to use a weapon came upon them, they would all be dead within minutes. Taking this elf girl was a risk, but the reward was going to be worth it. It they got even a dozen gold pieces from her or her traveling companions, this feat would not have been in vain.

Their camp was small, but warm. There was a roaring fire in the center of a ring of tents. There had to be at least a dozen men sitting on stumps around it. They all stank of wine and smoke. Not a single one of them was fully sober at this point. They all looked like travelers, and not nice ones at that. Blood stained their clothes and their weapons. All odds were that the blood did not belong to any of them. They were the kind of people who took advantage of ill prepared travelers. Took everything that they could want and then just left people to die. These men were the lowest form of scum that existed upon the earth, second only to the orcs.

"Thorin, who are these men…?" Dwalin whispered to him. The dwarves had gone running into the night when they had heard Anira scream. They were careful to be swift and silent, not wanting to give their foes the advantage. Thorin had found Anira's arm splint and it worried him. She was completely without weapon and now in the clutches of evil men. He thought then of how history has a disgusting way of repeating itself. He thought of Valessfaeniel and her story and the horrors done to her. His heart ached with the thought that these men were going to destroy Anira's virtue. He found himself regretting not forcing her to his bed. It would have been cruel of him, but no where near as cruel as this. At least he was her husband, bound to her and she to him. These men were only monsters with the darkest of desires within their hearts.

"I don't know…" Thorin said quietly as the continued walking through the darkness. This was turning out to be one of the longest nights they had endured since they left Mardok. He needed to find her before anything irreversible happened to her. He would never forgive himself if he let her suffer any permanent damage.

They could hear voices in the distance now, and see the flicker of orange light through the trees. Thorin looked at his comrades and nodded his head, slowly walking closer and closer to the light. He had his sword in his hand and his oaken shield upon his arm. If these men wanted to take Anira, they were going to have to fight for her. He was not willing to give her up so easily. Not to them, not to anyone. She was going to be his and his alone until his dying day.

"What are we going to do with 'er, David?" The large, dumb looking man asked curiously as he finished binding Anira to a near by tree. She sat, completely unconscious and unaware of the world around her. Her wrists had been bound together along with her ankles. Her torso was tied tightly against the tree that her back rest against. Her head was hanging, lolling to the side slightly. It was hard to see through the dim light, but her arms and legs were covered in cuts and bruises now. Her right eye was swollen and black from the man hitting her in the woods earlier. Her wrist was also swollen from injury. She no longer resembled the beautiful creature she once was. Now she looked more like a slave, a chew toy for the darkness in the world.

"She 'as to have people here with her. I think that she has a dwarf with her. Wether he is a guard or a master, I do not know. I don' care either. I know that dwarves have money and I wants some of it." He said with a hoarse laugh. "This girl is going to be key in our negotiations, if she ever wakes up. Can no' barter with a dead girl. Not in this part of the world, anyway."

"So, we are gon' let her go when you get your gold from the dwarf?"

"Do not be an idiot, Rolan!" David snapped angrily as he turned around and threw a rock at the man. Rolan raised a large hand and covered his face, looking at the other man. Taking a closer look at him, Rolan looked more like a troll than a man.

"Wha' are we going to do with 'er, David? If we aren' going to let her go home…" Rolan asked gently as he stood up. It was obvious that he was only here because they forced him to be. He was the muscle they needed, but his heart was too kind to do the deeds they needed done.

"I'm going to do with 'er what I said!" David shouted back, growing impatient with the other mans stupidity. "We are gon' use her as our whore and leave 'er here for her people to find her." He said angrily.

"Wha' if she does not want to?" Rolan asked gently, looking down at the girl he had just tied to the three. He felt guilty for binding her now that he knew what her fate was to be.

"Of course she will no' want to! We are going to do it anyway! You do not have to join us if you don' want to, but do not try and stop us from taking what we want." David shouted angrily, not even bothering to keep his voice down.

Thorin was completely enraged. He had heard every word that the bastard had shouted into the darkness. He stood with Dwalin and Balin, crouched behind some near by bushes. The men all seemed drunk and tired. They would be easy targets. The problem was the large man next to Anira. He could kill her in an instant without letting them have even the tiniest chance of rescuing her. As soon as he stepped away from her, they would attack. For now, they had to wait anxiously for their moment. Thorin could not wait to cut through these men and destroy them. He saw Anira across from him, on the other side of the fire. She looked so broken and he knew that it was his fault. If he had just been honest from her from the very beginning, they would not be here now. She would not be in the keep of villains and he would not have a broken heart beating within his chest.

Anira groaned as she lifted her head. It pounded and throbbed and she felt as though her brain may burst through her skull at any moment. She opened her eyes and looked around skeptically, not knowing where she was. It took a few moments before she remembered the altercation in the woods. She looked around and saw just how many men there were. She went to move and realized that she was completely bound. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest as she quietly pulled against the bonds that held her.

"Oh, looka' whose awake!" David said with an evil grin as he walked towards her. He squatted before her and smiled devilishly. "I am sorry that I ha' to hit you, but I need to know who gave you that ring." He said gently as he untied the gag from her mouth.

"I already told you, it was a gift." Anira said angrily, trembling with fear and cold as she looked up at him.

"You are lyin' to me!" David said angrily as he held up the ring. "I am going to give you one more chance to tell me before I have to hurt ya."

"Go die, troll." Anira snapped angrily, spitting at him. He groaned and backhanded her across the face. The sound of skin clashing with skin echoed through the night, being heard even over the sound of the wind. Thorin closed his eyes tightly, resisting every urge to run out and save her. Balin placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tightly, trying to reassure him that it was all going to be alright.

"You really are a fighter. Lets see how tough you really are…" He said angrily before grabbing her hands. He wrapped his hand around her left index finger and smiled at her before bending it backwards. It cracked as it broke and Anira began to scream in pain now. The pain was nearly unbearable and caused her to see black spots as her brain tried to shut down and shut out the anguish.

"I will ask you one more time. Who gave you this ring! I know that there is a dwarf and dwarfs have gold. Where is he? How can I find him! Who is her to you!" David screamed at her.

"I will tell you nothing…" Anira hissed quietly as she glared up at him. David laughed bitterly as he grabbed her middle finger and also bent it backwards until it broke beneath his force. Anira did not scream this time. She only winced as she continued to look up at him.

"Tell me where he is!"

"I would rather die here… Than tell you where he is…" Anira laughed angrily. Her pain was starting to play with her mind. She could hardly feel it now. She wanted nothing more than to spite this cruel man and make him as angry as she possibly could before he killed her.

"Why… Why will you not just give him to us?" David screamed loudly in her face. He fumbled, grabbing his sharp dagger from his belt and stabbing it down into her left thigh. She gasped and cried out, the feeling of pain being fresh in her mind once again. She could feel the cold metal as it sliced through her muscles and hit the bone. The smell of blood filled her nose and she knew it was her own.

"Because… He means more to me than my life… He does not care about me. He never did. He will not come for me, even if you threaten to kill me. Death would be a favor." Anira whispered quietly as tears began to stream down her cheeks. She hoped that he would have pity in his heart and just kill her.

"Oh? Really?" David said with a cruel laugh as he drew his sword from her thigh. "Lets see if he wants you at all… After I cut off your face…" He laughed as he raised his sword. She turned away and closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to see the blade coming towards her.

Thorin tensed up and was about to jump from the bushes when a booming voice rose above all others. It was the voice of Rolan as he grabbed David by his shoulders and threw him away from Anira.

"You need to stop!" Rolan protested loudly. "What you are doin' to this girl is not right!"

"What do you know, you dumb brute?" David shouted back as he scrambled to his feet. "Come on, if you really want her, fight me for her!" He urged angrily, drawing his sword from the sheath upon his back. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he waited for Rolan. The larger man let out an angry roar as he charged the smaller man with a sword.

The rest of the drunkards seemed to see their opportunity and flocked around Anira as the two other men fought. They began to touch her all over, whispering to each other. Between the pain in her head and the slurred quality of their words, she had no idea what they were saying. They squeezed her arms and her breasts and she cried out softly, trying to struggle against the ropes. She could feel the rope burns around her shoulders and wrists as she struggled. One man slid his hands up her dress, placing his hands on the insides of her thighs.

"Stop! Please! Do not touch me!" She screamed angrily, tears streaming down her eyes. She could hear the clashing of metal, which she assumed to be David and Rolan fighting in the distance.

"Do not touch her!" The voice of Thorin carried over everything else. The men touching her all turned, but could not get out of the way fast enough. Anira screamed as blood splattered her face and she watched the man in front of her have his skull split open by a sword. He fell limp, his open head upon her legs. She trembled, looking at the pink brain within the skull. She gagged and closed her eyes tightly, not sure what she could do. Why was Thorin here? How did he find her? Why did he even want to find her? She did not care. He was here. He was here, fighting for her freedom, risking his life to save hers. He was keeping his promises to keep her safe. If she had not been a foolish girl, he could have kept his promises much better. He taught her how to use a sword. It was her own fault for not bringing it with her when she ventured out into the cold.

Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin hardly had to put effort into slaughtering the drunkards who had surrounded her. There were ten of them, true, but all of them could hardly stand on their own, let alone wield a weapon with any accuracy. One by one the men fell to the ground. The air stank of blood and death, but none of the dwarves received even one injury. In the distance, Rolan and David were still fighting, clashing their swords and exchanging vulgar words. Finally, a fatal blow was struck. The rusting sword was buried deep within Rolan's stomach. He howled in pain as he grabbed David by the arm and held him there. He rose his own sword with his free hand and brought it down into the mans shoulder, severing his shoulder from the rest of his body, the blade only stopping when it hit the center of his rib cage. Both men fell to the ground, twitching and groaning in pain as they felt themselves dying.

Thorin did not care for these men. As he saw it, they made his job easier. He no longer had to kill either of them, though he did wish he could prolong their suffering. He wanted them to rue the day they tried to take Anira away from him. Anira. He put his sword back into its sheath and walked over to her, kneeling before her. He cupped her face gently, but she flinched when he touched her.

"N-no…. No more… P-please. There has been enough violence for one night. Do not kill me!" She screamed, not opening her eyes as she sobbed her words.

"I am not going to kill you… I would not dream of it…" Thorin said tenderly. His voice was very gentle now, trying to sooth her and calm her down. He did not blame her for her fright. She had gone through quite the ordeal. He could see all of her wounds now and he wished he had saved her sooner. Actually, he wished that he could have prevented the fight all together. He wanted to go back in time and prevent her from ever going out into the night. He had failed to keep her safe and that was the deepest punishment he could have suffered.

"Thorin…?" Anira whispered nervously as she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. She smiled, laughing gently before wincing. She could not tell if it was the ropes that made it hurt to breath, or if she had been bruised earlier in the night and could not just remember. Thorin smiled and nodded before he drew out his dagger and began to cut through the ropes that held her. There were many bindings and it was a slow process. He was extremely careful not to catch her skin. She was already so injured, he did not want to add to her pain. Once her wrists and arms were freed, she sat forward, rubbing her wrists nervously, whimpering. She knew now that it was her ribs that were bruised. Thorin tossed the body of the dead man off of her and began to cut the bonds on her legs. Everything was so soaked in blood. That's when he saw the wound on her thigh. He winced to himself and looked at it. Stitches were going to be needed. He hoped that Balin would help him try and fix her injuries.

"Can you stand…?" Thorin asked gently as he stood, holding his hands out to her. Anira did her best to grab his hands, but winced. It was hard to hang on to anything with two broken fingers. Thorin did his best to help lift her, but she was not going to stand on her own. She cried out in frustration as she sat back against the tree, closing her eyes. She felt so weak for not being able to do even the simplest of tasks.

"It's alright, Anira. Calm down." He said quietly as he knelt beside her, placing one arm around her back and the other beneath her legs. "I will carry you if you can not walk."

"Why?"

"Why..?" Thorin asked gently as he looked at her. Anira turned and looked at him, resting her head against the tree. A small smile crossed her face before she shook her head.

"Why did you come for me…?" She asked quietly. "After all of those cruel things I said to you…"

"You were mad and it was understandable." He said quietly, stroking her cheek tenderly.

"I am so sorry…." Anira whispered as she began to sob. She tried her best to cover her face with her trembling hands. She did not like anyone to see her cry. "I am so sorry for everything I said to you… You are a good man, a good king, and will be a good father." She sobbed.

"Anira… Look at me…"He said quietly.

"Please… Please do not make me…." She whimpered childishly.

"Anira, please…" He whispered soothingly.

"But…" She whispered sadly before reluctantly removing her hands from her face. She knew better than to argue with him when he wanted something. She looked at him and he lifted her chin with his hand gently as he smiled at her.

"You are… The most beautiful woman that I have ever seen in all of my life." He said gently. "Worth more to me…. Than all of the gold within Erebor. I have been a terrible husband to you and I vow to do better. No one will ever harm you ever again. What happened tonight will be nothing but a painful memory in our future. We will be surrounded by warmth, light… And love…" He whispered gently. Anira stared at him, tears quietly streaming down her cheeks.

"Thorin…?" She asked nervously as she raised her hands and placed them on his shoulders. Her whole body was trembling as if she was going to start sobbing again. She looked as though even the smallest touch was going to shatter her into pieces.

"Anira… I love you." He said suddenly, kissing her forehead tenderly. "I have loved you since I snuck into your bedroom." He laughed sadly. "I did not know how to tell you, even now, I feel foolish as the words leave my lips. I should have told you sooner, but I wanted to make sure that my words meant something to you when they left my lips. I hope you can forgive an arrogant man."

"Thorin…." Anira said as she began to cry again. She shoved his hand away from her before wrapping her arms around his neck. She sobbed against his neck as she held him tightly. He slowly stood, holding her against him as he did so. He placed his arms around her back and beneath her legs again as he scooped her up into his arms and began to walk towards home.

"I still love you, Thorin…. I am sorry that I said I did not…" Anira said sadly, whispering her words through her sobs. He had risked his life to save her, even after all of the screaming and the tears. This above all else proved his love for her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Home

Thorin was more than capable of carrying Anira back to their home by himself. The hardest part was making sure that her feet did not drag on the ground. She was so lanky and he was stout. It was difficult to keep her held high enough to prevent further damage. She weighed nearly nothing in his arms and he wondered if that was in partial due to their lack of food the last few days. He thought that just a few days forgetting to eat was not enough to cause that much change. Balin and Dwalin both offered to help him, but he refused their offers. Anira was his wife and he was going to care for her. Besides, she had her arms wrapped around his neck so tightly that he thought she may never let go. Her sobs were much softer now, no longer racking her entire body. The pattern of her breathing was still very irregular and pained, but she would not release him. She was so thankful that even at their worst, he still loved her enough to risk his life for her.

Upon arriving home, Balin opened the door for Thorin. Thorin turned sideways to slide through the door without Anira hitting the door frame.

"Clear off the table." Thorin said sternly. Dwalin nodded and walked over to the table beneath the window and placed his arm upon it. He slid his arm across the smooth, waxed wood and knocked all of the contents off. There were only a couple of metal glasses and dust. Thorin laid Anira down upon the table, laying her flat on her back so that her breathing would be easier.

"What can we do…" Thorin whispered to himself quietly, shaking his head as he looked at her. Dwarves were not known for their medical or healing abilities. They could hardly care for themselves medically, let alone anyone else.

"You need…" Anira whispered, swallowing hard as she tried not to gag at the taste of blood in her mouth. Her teeth were pink from the blood. The swelling in her face was already starting to go down, but the skin was still dark purple around her eye. Her cheek had a light purple, yellowish hue to it. Thorin wished he could have done more than just kill the men who had harmed her.

"Balin, get me some water." Thorin said sharply as he leaned over Anira, stroking her hair tenderly. His hand looked so big against her head. No wonder he had broken her arm earlier. She was so fragile beneath his touch. He would need to be much more careful from now on. He was determined not to hurt her like that ever again. Balin hurried across the room and grabbed a pitcher that was sitting beside the fireplace. He grabbed one of the metal glasses from the floor and filled it before handing it to Thorin.

"It won't be cold, but at least it's wet." Balin said gently.

"It will be fine, thank you." Thorin said gently before sliding a hand beneath Anira's head. She winced as he pulled her head up. Everything was stiff and sore from being bound to the tree. He tilted the glass against her lips, pouring the luke warm liquid into her mouth. She winced and swallowed as much as she could before sputtering some of the liquid out of her mouth as she began to cough. Thorin pulled the glass away quickly and sat her up a little bit more. Anira shook her head and placed a hand on his arm gently, squeezing tenderly before she looked up at him. Despite her injuries, the look in her eyes did not show pain. They showed only love and gratitude as they looked upon her husband.

"You are… Going to need to break my fingers again…" Anira said as she held up her hand. The broken fingers were purple and swollen. They were starting to heal, but the bones were not in the positions they needed to be. "You need to break them and then splint them." She said quietly. She laid back down with a small wince. She took a deep breath and let it out. Her breathing was still very shaky, but slowly getting better.

"I… I can not…" Thorin whispered quietly. "I can not hurt you, not anymore… Can we not wait until-"

"I am already in pain, Thorin." Anira said sharply. "Doing it now would be doing me a favor… I do not want to rest and break them later… Do it all now so that I do not have to feel this agony a second day in my life." She said quietly. "There is also a small sewing kit within my bag. You are going to need it to sew my leg shut again. It will not be perfect, but it will last until we reach a city with a medic…"

"Anira… I do not know if I can put you through anymore pain…"

"Then don't…." She said sternly as her eyes shifted to Dwalin. "Let him do it… He's wanted an excuse to cause me pain since he showed up here…" She hissed bitterly as she looked at him. She could not understand why he even helped save her, especially after he had made an attempt on her life when he had first arrived here.

"I can do it, but not because I want to, Lass. I can do it so that Thorin does not have to." Dwalin said sternly as he walked closer to them. "I can not stitch her though. My hands are not steady enough."

"I can stitch her leg." Balin said gently as he looked at the other two men. "This is going to be a group effort, but I believe we can help her."

"Please…. While they are still mostly numb with pain…" Anira whined quietly as she held her hand out to Dwalin. "Please…" She said quietly.

Dwalin stepped closer to her and gently took her small hand within both of his own. He looked at her with sadness upon his face for a few moments before he wrapped his large hand around one of her fingers.

"Wait!" Thorin said quickly. He closed his eyes and looked at Dwalin. "I can not hear her scream again…" He said quietly.

"You are going to have to… You need to hold her down…" Dwalin said quietly.

"Thorin…" Anira said quietly as she looked up at him. "If you want to help me… Make sure I do not struggle when you attempt to fix my wounds…" She said with a tender smile. Her smile broke his heart. How could she stand to look at him after all of this, with a smile on her face? It was astonishing to him that she was not mad at him. He could not have found a better woman for him if he had even been trying.

Thorin stood at the head of the table and pressed down upon her shoulders so that she could not move.

"Are you ready…?" Dwalin asked quietly as he looked at her, his hand still wrapped around her broken finger. His grip was gentle, not wanting to hurt her any more than he had to. True, she was an elf. He did not trust her and he did not like her. Not one bit, but Thorin did. As long as Thorin loved this girl, he would do his best to accept her.

"As ready as I can be…" Anira said quietly as she closed her eyes tightly. She took a deep breath, doing her best to brace for the pain to come. Dwalin nodded and instantly tightened his grip around her finger and bent it the direction it was supposed to go. The crunching of bone was quiet beneath his hand and was unheard once Anira began screaming. Her whole body jolted with the sudden pain and Thorin pushed her back down against the table quickly. She trembled beneath his hands and it was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

"Just… One more…" Dwalin said with sadness in his own voice. It was rare for the barbarian dwarf to feel sadness and he did not understand why he had such compassion for the elf girl. He grabbed her other finger and quickly broke it the direction it was supposed to go. Anira screamed again, but not as loudly this time. She clenched her teeth as tears slid down the sides of her cheeks.

"I need something to splint them with." Dwalin said hurriedly as he looked around for something hard and straight.

"Use these." Balin said, having fount two knives in a drawer. He handed them to Dwalin along with a few pieces of cloth he had torn into strips while Dwalin was working on her fingers. Dwalin nodded and placed the knives on the inside of her hand and quickly tied one to each of her fingers.

"It's not pretty, but it will work…" Dwalin said gently. He turned to step away from her when her good hand caught his wrist. Her hand did not wrap all the way around his muscular arm, but her grip was hard enough to stop him from pulling away from her. He looked down at her and was about to tell her not to touch him, but he could not. She was smiling at him and she mouthed 'thank you' in silence. He only nodded before pulling his arm from her grasp and turning away from her.

"I do not know how well we are going to be able to stitch your leg…" Thorin said tenderly as he leaned down and kissed her upon the forehead. "None of us is really very good at stitching…"

"Then let me do it…" Anira said quietly as she struggled to sit up. It took all of her strength and some of Thorin's just to sit up. She turned so that her legs were hanging over the edge of the table and she could rest her back against the window. It was cold and felt good against her bruises.

"You are in no condition to stitch your own wounds…" Thorin said sternly as he looked at her.

"What else are we going to do…? Either you have to stitch my wound, or I will do it myself. Either way, it will not be pretty…." She said sadly. Her breathing was almost normal now. She still seemed a bit breathless as she spoke, but not as badly. It did not seem to pain her to speak as it had before.

"Where did you say your sewing supplies were…?" Balin asked quietly.

"They are in my leather sack, in the other room." She said gently before closing her eyes again. Balin nodded and hurried into the other room to search for the supplies.

"Thorin, bring some water to a boil. We are going to need to try and clean her wound before stitching it. I do not want her to get sick." Balin called from the other room.

"Right." Thorin said gently as he grabbed the pitcher of water and dumped all of it into a small cauldron. He hung the cauldron over the fire and turned back to Anira. Her skin was already returning to its pale color. The bruises were fading and the cuts were healing at an astonishing rate. He could hardly believe his eyes as he watched her sitting there.

"I am sorry…" Thorin said quietly.

"For what…?" Anira asked in a whisper. Her voice sounded distant and light, like a breeze through the trees.

"For keeping secrets from you… I did not want you to find that book until I knew you could handle it's contents. It was cruel that it opened itself for you when I was not here to explain."

"It does not matter now… You have proven to me that I am worth more to you than just an heir…" She said with a small smile crossing her lips. "You could have left me to die with those men…."

"You could have told them where I was and saved yourself the pain of torture but you did not. Why wouldn't you tell them? Especially after the cruel things I did to you…" Thorin said quietly as he grabbed her uninjured hand, kissing her knuckles tenderly, one at a time.

"They would have tortured me no matter what I said to them… Why would I lead them to you and make you suffer as much as I? That would have been cruelty."

"Cruelty that I would have deserved."

"Do not say such things, Thorin. Your people need you… I need you…" She said quietly, stroking his hair as best as she could with her splinted hand. "Do not ever doubt yourself…"

"I want you to read the rest of the book… Not today, not tomorrow, in fact, not until you are fully healed. You read only the first page and have no idea what your mother was trying to save you from. After you read it, we will burn it, together. We will put all of this misery behind us and try to forget that she ever brought this pain upon us. I should have told her to leave us alone when I spoke to her in the village, but I did not think-"

"In the village..?" Anira asked quietly as she looked at him. "Thorin… What else are you not telling me?"

"The elven queen… The one who called you a whore for marrying a dwarf…. Anira, she is your mother. She is Valessfaeniel. She is the reason that we are still here. This house is hers. She uses it when she needs to escape the control of her husband." He said gently. "She wants to meet you, to speak with you on better terms. I told her that I did not know if you would want to see her. You are her child and she wants to explain why she had to leave you with Krystoff."

"How could you keep this from me…?" Anira asked gently as she looked at him. She looked betrayed, but she did not look mad.

"Would you have wanted to know…?"

"No… I guess you are right. I do not want to speak to her, I do not even wish to see her ever again. She has brought nothing but misery upon us." Anira said quietly as she winced. "Is the water ready yet? Where is Balin?" She whined as she placed a trembling hand upon her still bleeding leg wound.

"I've got the sewing supplies." Balin said as he hurried back into the room, looking at Thorin skeptically as he stood before Anira. He looked down at his hands as he threaded the small needle before bending it into a hook shape.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Balin said quietly as he looked up at her passed his bushy, white eyebrows.

"What choice do I have…? It's better than losing my leg…" Anira said quietly as she cupped the elder mans cheek tenderly in her hand. "You are a good man for helping me… All of you…" She said as she looked up, smiling at Thorin and Dwalin. Dwalin only grunted and turned away from her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Bite down on this. It will help." Balin said as he held a thick strip of leather to her mouth. "I was trying to find something for you to bite, that is what took me so long." He said with an apologetic smile. "I saw how much it pained Thorin to hear you scream, so I wanted to make this as easy on all of us as I could."

"You are kind…" Anira said sadly as she opened her mouth and bit down upon the strip of leather. She took a couple of nervous breaths as she prepared herself for what she hoped would be the last of her pain for the evening.

"Thorin, bring the water." Balin said gently as he pulled a chair over and extended Anira's leg over the back of the chair. She winced as the muscles in her thigh moved. She could see them inside of her skin. Raw, red and bleeding. She could also see the white of her bone. Thorin grabbed the cauldron by the thin handle and carried it over to Balin and Anira.

"Let me know when you are ready…" Balin said gently as he looked at Anira. Anira closed her eyes tightly, took a deep breath and bit down upon the leather with all of her might before nodding her head.

"Now, Thorin." Balin said quickly, pushing Anira's dress up to her waist. Thorin quickly dumped the water onto the open wound. Anira cried out in pain through clenched teeth. She balled her hand into a fist and pounded it against the table as the boiling water cleaned out her leg wound. As much as this hurt, she knew that it needed to be cleaned. The dagger likely had blood from others and rust upon it. There was likely also dirt and pieces of grass in her wound. So, this was what it was like to be a traveller. She did not much care for it, not in the slightest. She wanted nothing more than to go to her own home, a permanent home, and not have to travel for as long as she lived.

Balin quickly stabbed the curve needle into her flesh and did his best to begin stitching her wound. It was not a large wound, just deep. He was able to stretch her skin enough that the wound closed completely. He tied his stitches as tightly as he possibly could before cutting the thread. Anira had done very well in enduring the pain of surgery. Balin took a glass of what was left of the hot water and poured it onto her wound before wrapping her leg in a clean cloth from his own bag. He tied it tightly, almost tight enough to cut off the blood circulation. He did not want it to start bleeding again after all of this effort.

"There we go… You are all done, Lass, you did wonderfully." Balin said with a gently smile as he patted her on the leg. Anira reached up and pulled the leather from between her teeth, flexing her jaw slightly before letting out a deep breath.

"Thank goodness that this torment is finally over. Thank you for your help, Balin. It would have been a tragic sight to watch me stitch myself shut." Anira said with a quiet laugh. Her face was almost completely healed now. Her eye was still purple, but no longer swollen. She could open it all the way now without a problem.

"I think it is time for us to go to bed." Thorin said tenderly as he lowered Anira's leg from the chair. She winced and nodded, not saying a word.

"But… Where are our guests going to sleep?" She asked quietly after a few moments. She scooted towards the edge of the table and slid off. Her feet touched the ground, but her leg gave out as soon as she tried to put weight on it. Thorin quickly caught her and wrapped her arm over his shoulder.

"We will just lay out here, lass. Do not worry about us." Balin said with a small wink. "You need a good nights rest."

"I can't just let you two sleep out here on the floor. That would be incredibly rude of me as a hostess."

"Lass, you have been stabbed, tortured, had your fingers broken twice and had your leg sown shut. I think you need to stop worrying about us and start worrying about your own health." Balin said sternly.

"I… You are right…" Anira said quietly as she looked down at the floor. "I think that sleep sounds like a magnificent idea…" She whispered as she leaned against Thorin. He was so strong against her, like a rock. He did not ever seem to faultier or cower in the most dire of situations. If she had married anyone else, she would surely have died in that situation.

Thorin did his best to help her limp into their bedroom. He did not want to sleep beside her now, for fear of hurting her within the night. He wanted to make her as comfortable as he possibly could. She was one of the strongest women he had ever met. Even when being tortured, she was loyal to those she kept close to her heart. He helped her to the bed and laid her down as gently as he could. She adjusted herself onto her back with a small wince.

"I do hope that you sleep well." Thorin said before tenderly kissing her upon the lips. He did not realize it before, but he was trembling. All of the adrenaline was starting to wear off and he was finally feeling the pain in his heart that made him want to drop to his knees and weep.

"I am sure I will.. I can hardly stay awake now…" Anira said with a quiet smile, placing her hand upon his head, running her fingers through his silky hair tenderly.

"Good night…" He whispered before standing up straight. He turned away from her, but stopped when he felt her grab his hand. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Where are you going?" Anira asked quietly.

"I was going to sleep in the other room, with Balin and Dwalin."

"Please do not make me sleep alone."

"Do you really wish me to lay beside you…?" Thorin asked gently as she turned to face her again. "After all of this?"

"It is because of all of this." She said with a sheepish smile. "Please..?" She asked before slowly struggling to sit up. He grabbed her shoulder gently and helped her to sit up.

"You need to lay down."

"Can you help me out of my dress? It is stiff and disgusting from all of the blood." She said quietly.

"Alright…" Thorin said gently as he swallowed hard. He was finally going to get to see her without her dress on. He only wished that it could be under happier circumstances than this. He sat upon the bed and slowly helped her slide her arms out of the sleeves before sliding the dress down her torso. She laid back upon the bed so that he could slide her dress from around her hips. He then tossed it upon the floor beside the bed.

"Can you help me with my bloomers and my underdress, too?" Anira asked quietly as she looked up at him. She felt nervous about letting him see her naked, but she did not want to be stuck in these stiff, blood soaked clothes. They smelled so horrible and it was making her feel sick. Thorin swallowed nervously again and nodded his head.

"I can help you…" He said quietly as he grabbed the waist of her bloomers and slowly pulled them off of her. He did his very best to keep his eyes upon her face, but it was increasingly difficult. He tossed the bloomers aside before walking around to the other side of the bed and gently lifting her dress off over head, tossing it aside as well. Her skin was perfect and he had to resist the urge to touch her everywhere, to trace his lips across her flawless skin. She looked as though someone had dipped her in a pool of milk and her skin retained the perfect, pale color. He stood before her, staring at her as she lay upon their bed. He walked back around so that he could be facing her as he looked at her. How badly he wanted to take and make a woman out of her. He leaned down and tenderly placed a gentle kiss upon her stomach. His hands were hot against her sides and it made her tremble. Trembling hurt all of her bruised muscles, but she could not help it. She gasped and covered her mouth nervously as he touched her. A hot blush crossed her cheeks as she turned her head to the side. She was too nervous and ashamed to look at him. His facial hair tickled and pricked her skin slightly. It was a feeling that she actually rather enjoyed, which was a good thing seeing as her husband would forever be bearded.

"Thorin?" Anira asked quietly as she reached up and began to stroke her fingers through his hair as best she could. She loved how hairy he was, even though it made her feel like a pervert. She found herself wondering if other women though this way also.

"I am honored to have you as a wife, Anira." He whispered, his breath was hot against her skin and gave her goosebumps.

"What makes you say that?" She asked with a quiet laugh as she placed her hands upon his head. He was being so gentle with her now. He hardly seemed like the same man he was before. She wondered what he was thinking but thought it best not to ask.

"Never has a woman stood beside me through so much trial. All have given up on me well before we reached the point of love…" He said with a small chuckle, looking up at her before gently resting his cheek against her flat stomach. She blushed more brightly and smiled. She did not notice, but her necklace was glowing again. This was the first time since the night Thorin had given it back to her.

"Are you really going to make me read the rest of that awful book from the elven queen?" She asked sadly. She refused to call that horrible woman her mother.

"I do not believe you need to. We are going to be alright from here on out, right?"

"I do not hold it against you. You were only trying to protect me from the truth and I was just to blinded to see that before."

"As long as you are not mad at me… I do not want you to read it. There is no point in putting you through any more pain."

"Thank you." She said quietly before looking up at the ceiling. Despite all that had happened, she felt safe and at home here. She did not believe that it was because of Thorin, but instead, a powerful magic upon this home.

"Why is the queen really making us stay here?"

"She wants to meet you before she has to return to her husband."

"The man who made her give me up?"

"Yes… Him." Thorin said with an obvious distaste in his tone.

"She wants me to stay here… I can feel it. That must be why I love this house so much. Earlier this evening, I had thought of trying convince you that we should stay here a while longer, instead of traveling back to the Blue Mountains. I still want to stay here, despite all of the horror that has happened this evening. I think that it is her and her magic that wants to keep me here. At least, she wants me here long enough for her to come and meet me." She whispered sadly as tears stung her eyes.

"What do you think we should do, Anira?" He asked quietly as he crawled next to her upon the bed, laying beside her and kissing her tenderly upon the cheek. He hated seeing her with tears in her eyes.

"I think… We should burn this house to the ground." She said, her tears trying to choke her voice. "I want to travel light. We take only what we can carry. We leave the caravan and take the horses. I want to make sure that when she comes back here, she will only see the ashes and smoldering remains of her magic. I want to leave her book where she can find it and attach a letter of my own to it. I want to make her regret trying to force herself into our lives." She said sternly, her lower lip quivering.

"Stop…" He said sadly as he leaned over her and tenderly kissed her upon the lips. "Stop thinking about this now. You have had a long night. Go to sleep. You need your rest. I will be here the whole night to protect you, I promise." He whispered quietly before he gently rolled her onto her side. She winced and lifted her legs onto the bed, curling up as small as she could. Thorin grabbed one of their folded blankets from the end of the bed and wrapped it over her. He slid an arm beneath her and curled himself against her back. It was slightly awkward positioning because of their height differences, but he did not think about it. He whispered kind words of love into her ear and layered kisses upon her back and shoulders. He wanted to make sure that even while she slept, she knew just how much he really did love her.

Dwalin and Balin could hear Anira and Thorin speaking to one another in the next room, but could not hear their words clearly.

"I do not trust her…" Dwalin said angrily as he looked towards the doorway.

"Why are you so distrusting of her? Is it because she is an elf?" Balin asked quietly as he sat in the corner, smoking his pipe.

"Not only is she an elf, she is just a child." Dwalin said angrily. "Thorin hates elves. I think that she must be a witch. How else could she have him wrapped around her finger so tightly?"

"Do not be so unkind, brother. I think it is much too soon to judge her. Besides, if she had magic, do you not think she would have used it to free herself from those men in the woods?"

"Not if she wants us to believe that she really does need our protection."

"Or if she does really need our protection." Balin said sternly, shaking his head sadly. "I think you should give her at least a few days before you decide she really is a bad person. Until then, do not speak a word of this to Thorin. He would be very angry with you. Magic or no magic, starting a fight with him is unwise."

"I give her a day." Dwalin said sternly before he finally went quiet.

The next morning went just as Anira had wanted it to. Her wounds were healing extremely quickly. Her fingers were no longer splinted, though she did have to be very careful with them. She could walk, but only for a few minutes at a time before she would need to sit and rest. The dwarves did almost all of the packing while she wrote a letter to her mother. She had found a quill and ink within their small kitchen and was writing inside of the Red Journal, upon the last page.

"Are you two sure you want to carry those bags? We could always put them on the horses." Thorin said as he looked at Dwalin and Balin, both who were wearing a pack of supplies almost larger than themselves.

"One horse, yes, but your wife is going to need to ride upon the other. There is no way she will be able to walk, nor should she. If she wants to heal right, she needs to rest." Balin said with a small smile. "We will be fine, laddy. Do not worry about us."

"I will repay you." Thorin said with a small smile before he walked back to the Caravan. There was nothing left inside of it. The gold that Vera had given them was scattered within all of the bags for travel, most of which were upon one of the horses. He walked back into the small house and watched Anira shut the journal and pick it up in her hands.

"Are you ready?" He asked with a small smile, offering a hand to her.

"Of course." She said sweetly as she limped over to him, putting as little weight on her wounded leg as possible. She grabbed his hand tightly and followed him out of the house. She stepped back, near the tree line and looked at the small home. Part of her still wanted to stay, but she knew that it was the magic poisoning her mind.

Dwalin stood with a bottle within his hand. It was full of liquid and had a small piece of wet fabric hanging out of it. He struck a match against his bracer and lit the fabric with a devious smile. It took to the flame instantly and flickered around for a few moments.

"You all may want to step back." Dwalin said sternly as he brought his arm back to throw the bottle.

Anira gasped and stepped backwards, tripping slightly. Thorin caught her, wrapping an arm around her waist as he helped her to back away from the house. Dwalin through the bottle and it shattered through the window with a great noise. Within moments, smoke began rising from the window and doorway. Not long after, the bright light of flames followed. Anira could feel the heat upon her face as she watched the flames dancing through the windows.

In an instant, she could no longer feel the magic. The home looked like any other wooden house she had ever seen. It was not lovely and it did not feel like home. She could see all of the horrible memories of this night burning away with the house itself and it made her heart feel lighter. She dropped the book upon the ground and looked over at Thorin.

"I hope she finds it before the water destroys it…" She said sternly before starting to walk towards the horses. "Shall we be on our way then?" She asked with a tender smile as she looked at the other two dwarves.

"No no, you are not walking." Balin said sternly. "Let us help you onto the horse."

"What?" She laughed, shaking her head. "I can walk just fine."

"Just because you can, does not mean you should." Balin said sternly, raising his white eyebrows at her. She looked at him sadly before nodding. She knew that he was right even if it bothered her. It took both Thorin and Balin to try and help her onto the horse without further injury. Finally, Dwalin gave her a final shove that sat her upon the horse. He turned from her quickly and acted like it angered him just to have touched her.

"Are we finally ready?" Thorin asked sternly as he put on his cloak and then his own leather pack.

"I think so." Balin said as he began walking towards the South.

"Good." Thorin said sternly as he grabbed the ropes on the horse and pulled gently. The horse began walking and it took Anira a few strides before she regained her balance. She could only imagine how falling off of the horse would impact her current injuries. Dwalin walked on the other side of her, beside Balin. She looked down at him and could not help but to smile.

"Thank you for helping with my fingers last night." She said gently.

"I did not do it for you." Dwalin snapped quickly, not looking up at her as he walked. "I only helped so that Thorin did not have to do it himself."

"I know." She said with a sad smile. "That's why I am thankful… I do not wish that anguish upon anyone. It was hard enough on him that he had to watch me go through so much. I wish I could have been stronger… So that he did not have to be."

Dwalin looked up at her now, but he still would not speak to her. He looked back at the ground and shifted the pack on his back. Perhaps she really was not a witch after all.

"How far do we have to travel?" Anira asked as she turned to look down at Thorin.

"About four days to the nearest down, and then almost another month until we reach the Blue Mountains." He said as he tried to think about their journey. He was not the greatest with directions. Good thing that Balin had showed up. He would end up navigating most of this trek. "There are a few other towns that we will stop in to grab more provisions, but that's about it."

"How far until we are out of the reach of the elves?"

"That I do not know. I used to think they never left their woods, but seeing the queen within Osterberg… I am not so sure how far they travel now." He said honestly before looking up at her.

"I just hope we are out of her reach before she finds the house." She said gently. "I do not want to see her now, or ever. I want her to find the book she ruined our lives with and go back to hiding within her forest."

"I hope so too, but only time will tell." He said with a sad smile. He almost felt pity for Valessfaeniel. All she wanted was a chance to be a mother. The mother she should have been from the very beginning. It was not unreasonable for Anira to be as cold as she was. She had been hurt and lied to. In her mind, every trial with Thorin was rooted from the Journal that had been given to him.

They traveled all day and into the night. Stopping only when they found a cave to seek shelter in for the night. The air was getting colder and colder each night. They hoped to reach the next town before it got too bitter outside. Stopping for the winter was not an option now. The risk of being caught by the elven queen was enough to make all of them want to face the freezing air. Anira sat beside Thorin within their cave and looked out into the darkness. She wondered if the woman had found the book, or if it was even still there. She wondered if the magic kept the house standing, or if it was just a pile of ash upon the ground by now. With a deep sigh, Anira closed her eyes and leaned against Thorin, hoping that sleep would quickly take her so that her thoughts would stop racing.

Valessfaeniel walked quickly through the blackness of night, trying to make as little sound as she possibly could. Her dark cloak was wrapped around her tightly and her hood was covering most of her face. She had forced her guards to wait for her within the woods, with the horses. She did not want them to know that the young elf maid was in fact her daughter. If Thranduil found out what she was doing, he would be more than furious with her. He would likely never forgive her for the rest of their immortal lives. As much as she hated him, she did not want to cause this kind of lasting argument. He always had the last word and would likely lock her within his dungeon if it was the only way he would win. Valessfaeniel did not understand why he hated her daughter so much. She was only a child when he had met her. He did not even tolerate her existence for a year before forcing Valessfaeniel to chose between giving her daughter away, or killing her. He was the cruelest man she had ever met and he had a heart as black as death. She wondered if his last wife had taken his happiness with her when her life ended. It seemed very likely, but Thranduil would not ever speak with her about such things.

She entered into the clearing then and nearly screamed in horror. The house was no longer standing. There were pieces of hot metal still glowing and there was smoke rising from the ashes.

"What on earth happened here…" She whispered to herself sadly as she looked around at everything. She walked closer to the wreckage, her heart beating wildly within her chest. She feared that someone had burned down the small home with Thorin and Anira inside of it.

"Anira? Thorin?" She called loudly as she continued to try and step closer. That's when her foot slipped on what she assumed to be a rock. She gasped, catching her balance before looking down. Her heart sank when she saw the red leather beneath her shoe. She stepped back and dropped to her knees, picking the book up from the cold ground. She held it for a few moments before the lock clicked open. Everything was still in tact, but something did not feel right. She flipped through its pages quickly, making sure that everything was there. This book would be the death of her if anyone found it, especially Thranduil. That's when she found it, the last page of the book. The handwriting was not her own and she knew that it must belong to Anira for it was too neat to be any dwarf.

"Valessfaeniel,

You have ruined my marriage, and my

childhood. I hope you are proud of what

you have done to your own child. I grew

up listening to lies and being raised to be

a bride for an evil man who only saw me

as an object. You are no mother to me.

You have no power over me and I do

not now, nor ever, want to see you again.

I am not going to let you poison either of

us any longer. Enjoy eternity.

-Anira"

Valessfaeniel began to sob as she read the last page within her own book. This was not what was supposed to happen! They were supposed to be reunited with love and longing. She was supposed to be a good mother and care for her child the way she should have. She was going to leave Thranduil and beg the dwarves for refuge from his cruelty. All of these hopes and dreams were not shattered. Anira hated her and wanted nothing to do with her, all because of this stupid journal. Valessfaeniel cursed herself for ever writing it. She should never have given up her child. She should have fought against Thranduil and made him let her keep her only child. She had never once had a problem with his child. Why did he care so much about hers?

"M'lady!" A female voice called from behind her. "M'lady, we must go. We must go now!" Raveena said loudly as she hurried towards the woman. "Why on earth are you on the ground?"

"Never mind." Valessfaeniel hissed as she stood up and turned to face the young girl. "Why are we leaving so quickly?"

"Thranduil."

"What about him?" Valessfaeniel asked quickly, her face going pale as she realized she may have been found out.

"The others are distracting him, but he is here." The young girl said, still nearly breathless as she looked at Valessfaeniel. "He realized that you should have been home days ago and says he came looking for you. He knew you had a house in these woods for when you desired to leave the realm, but he has finally found it." She said before looking passed Valessfaeniel, her eyes locked on the smoldering heap that was once a small home.

"There is no longer a refuge here." Valessfaeniel snapped angrily as she walked passed the girl and into the forest. Thranduil never left his realm unless he absolutely had to. This arrival here meant only that he was infuriated with her. The only way to fight his anger was with anger. Submissiveness would get here absolutely nowhere.

"Where is she?" She heard Thranduil demand in the darkness, just a few trees ahead of her now.

"I told you, she did not say where she went. She told us to wait here and said she would be back."

"I think you are all lying to cover for her. Do you really fear her wrath more than my own?" Thranduil asked with a bitter tone.

"We do not… We do not fear her." One of her guards said quietly.

"Oh, be quiet." Valessfaeniel called angrily before walking into sight. Thranduil turned and looked at her. His face grew hard instantly as he walked to her and grabbed her by her arm and tugging her. He pulled her as if she were being a disobedient child.

"Where on earth have you been and why have you not sent word back to me of your delays?" Thranduil hissed quietly as he looked at her. His blue eyes were piercing with anger as he scanned her face.

"My business is my own." She hissed angrily as she glared at him. She rose her arms and shoved him away. "Do not touch me." She warned quietly.

"Are you giving me an order?" Thranduil said with a bitter laugh as he stepped closer to her. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her slightly before glaring at her again. "Did you forget? I own you!" He shouted before releasing her and stepping away. "Come now, we are going home. I'm going to see to it that your refuge will no longer be standing after tonight." He threatened quietly.

"You do not have to worry about that. Someone has already burned it to the ground." She said coldly as she began walking again, disappearing into the darkness. Her daughter must have felt the magic within the house, the binding spell that was meant to keep her there. That must be why it was burned down. Perhaps Anira was the luckiest of all involved in this horrible life. She was the only one who found love, acceptance, and soon, a permanent home. Valessfaeniel let out a deep sigh as she looked up at the stars. She watched them flicker through the leafs of the trees for a few moments before a tear slid down her cheek. Anira did not know how lucky she was that she did not have to grow up surviving the company of Thranduil. She wished that fate upon no one. He was her husband by law, but she had always hated him.

She would always hate him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mirkwood

The rest of the journey home was spent in complete and utter silence. Valessfaeniel would not look at Thranduil, no matter what he tried to speak with her about. He had forced her to ride upon his elk with him and she hated it. She hated feeling him behind her, with his arms around her. Being so close to him made her feel sick to her stomach. No one knew why she stayed by his side, not even herself. She could try to leave at any time, but she knew that he would fighter for it. He would not let her leave without a fight. He had done more harm to her than the men before him. His words were like knives that cut into her. He would not stop his torments until she began to cry or gave in to his cruel demands. To him, she was nothing more than a prize. An object that was to be won and a treasure to keep. She wondered if he even saw her as a person at all anymore. Unless she absolutely had to, she would not speak to him.

They were within the forest of Mirkwood now, after almost two weeks of travel. It was awful, being so close to someone you despise for such a great period of time. She could not wait to be back within the fortress so that she could lock herself within her room. Thranduil shifted behind her and she did her best to slither out of his grasp. He laughed quietly and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest again.

"You need to behave." He whispered into her ear with a tender tone before he tenderly kissed her upon the cheek. He knew that she could not stand him. Married for almost eighty years and she never once told him she loved him. He told her of his love frequently, though she always brushed him off. She hated when ever he said it. It made her feel like he was trying to guilt her.

"Do not touch me..." Valessfaeniel whispered back quietly after turning away from his kiss. His affections were farce and she had to convince herself that it was best not to fall for his selfish deceptions. She brushed her hair back from her face as she looked up at the large doors that lead to the realm within Mirkwood. They giant green doors slowly opened and allowed them entrance. Everything was made out of trees and rocks. It was very welcoming and beautiful. If it were not more of a prison, she may have still appreciated its loveliness.

Once Thranduil brought his elk to a stop, Valessfaeniel forced herself out of his arms and slid off of the creature. She landed gracefully upon her feet before starting to walk away. She just wanted to go and enjoy some silence so that maybe she would not have to cry herself to sleep tonight.

"Wait." Thranduil called with a gentle tone as he looked after her. He too slid from his elk and looked at her, tilting his head to the side slightly. He straightened out his robes and began walking towards her. He grabbed her by her arm gently and leaned down to whisper into her ear. "We still need to have a talk. Do not think you have gotten out of this without punishment."

"I did nothing wrong. I went on your good will voyage and took my time getting back home. Is that a crime?" Valessfaeniel whispered angrily as she looked up at him.

In truth, Anira looked absolutely nothing like her mother. Valessfaeniel looked more like a porcelain doll than a human. With very large, Emerald eyes and full lips the color of blood, she looked as though someone had painted her. While still pale and bearing flawless skin, she looked almost nothing like the other elves around her. Her raven hair was black as night and cascaded down her back, shimmering blue in the brightest light. She knew that other elves referred to her as a Dúnedai. They believed that she was no elf at all, but rather, a human with prolonged life. None of them understood why Thranduil had chosen to marry her. So many women would have given up everything just to for the chance to be his queen, but no, he picked her. She who did not even appreciate what she had.

"It is not a crime... But it becomes a problem when you leave me to speak with a dwarf. Yes, Raveena told me of your dwarf visitor within the city. Who was he?" Thranduil asked angrily as he stared at her with icy blue eyes.

"He is of no concern to you." Valessfaeniel snapped angrily as she tried to pull her arm away. He did not release her, only glared at her with more anger.

"As long as I am your husband and I still have breath. Any man you speak to is of concern to me." He hissed angrily. "I will not lose you to another man. Especially not a dwarf!"

"I want nothing to do with him. I needed to speak to him of someone else, someone who I can not speak to, because of you." She growled at him before finally freeing herself from his grasp. "Do not touch me again." She hissed angrily as she took a step back from him.

"You can have your way... For now." Thranduil said with a small smile as he stood up straight. He bowed his head to her slightly before he turned and walked back to his elk. She watched him go with anger in her eyes before she turned and hurried back to her own bedroom. She did not want anything to do with him for as long as she could help it. She also knew that those thoughts were just a distant dream. As long as he lived, he would not ever let her have a moment of peace.

When she finally arrived within her own room, she locked the door behind herself. She leaned back against the cold, wooden door and closed her eyes tightly. How on earth was she going to explain her meeting with Thorin? Thranduil would be upset if he thought she was cheating on him, true. However, he would be much more upset if he knew that she had seen him to speak of her daughter.

She did not understand why he hated Anira so much. When she had married him, her daughter was but one year old, not even. He tolerated her within their keeping for only twenty years. Her daughter was still very small when she went to live within the care of Krystoff. As far as she knew, Anira had never wronged Thranduil in any way that would cause him to rid himself of her. How could she have? She was only but a child at the time.

She finally opened her eyes then and looked around her room. It was the same as she had left it. Her and her husband had argued over her journey before she left. The large mirror that hung beside her wooden dresser was still shattered into pieces upon the ground. They looked like pieces of stars shimmering in the moonlight that lit her room. She shook her head with a small laugh before she walked over to her bed and grabbed the top blanket. It was covered with shards of glass and she simply removed it from the bed and laid it across her floor. She was not going to clean up her mess, she never did. If Thranduil wanted her to appear to be a good queen, he would have to do all of the work himself. She did not want to be a queen anyway, she never had. She wanted to be the love of someone's life. She wanted to spend her life with Krystoff all of those years ago. Even willing to bind herself to him if he so desired it. She had hoped that she would be able to have her own children and raise them surrounded by love and hope. Those dreams had been taken from her long ago. There were no children and there was no love. Thranduil had his own child, Legolas, but he did not want to have any children with her. That was for the best, seeing as she wanted to have no children with him either. One more reason to be bound to this man was too many.

She laid back upon her bed, resting upon the thick quilt that still lay there. She closed her eyes and turned her head to the side sadly. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes and she tried her best to will them to stop. She did not have time to cry now. Thranduil would barge into her room at any moment and question her choices. She did not feel like listening to his yelling, but did not have a choice. He never gave her a choice about anything. Either she listened to him, or he yelled, screamed, and tormented her until she did. Why was it so wrong for her to want to see her only child? She was sure that Anira hated her after their encounter within the village of Osterberg, but she wanted to mend it. She only longed to speak with her daughter, to hold her and to comfort her. She wanted to be able to act and feel like a mother for at least a brief moment in her miserable life.

"Snow Bird, we need to talk." Thranduil called through the door. His tone was soft and Valessfaeniel was surprised. He never used her nickname when he was mad at her, nor did he ever ask to enter her room. She sat up and stared at her door for a few moments, not sure if he was trying to trick her or not. Her nickname was a result of her name meaning. Valessfaeniel meant "White as Snow". He had several names to call her, but Snow Bird was his favorite. If he knew how well it fit, he would no longer use it. She always felt as though she was a bird, caged within his power.

"I do not want to speak about this, Thranduil. I am exhausted from our journey. Can I not have at least one night of rest before you start a fight?" She called gently, a pleading tone in her airy voice.

"I do not wish to start a fight with you, my dearest." He said gently, knocking upon her door. "May I come in?"

"What if I say no?" She snapped angrily.

"You know what happens if you say no... But I do not think that will be your answer."

"Oh? What makes you think that, Thranduil?"

"You see, Valessfaeniel... I have this book within my keeping." He said quietly. She could not see it, but there was a devilish smile across his pale lips. "I have this journal... One of my guards found it near your burned down sanctuary. It is bound with red leather. I thought you may wish to explain it to me before I went through it."

Valessfaeniel nearly jumped to her feet as he spoke. How on earth did he find the journal? She hurried across the room and quickly unlocked the door. She threw it opened and stared at him.

"Do not read it." She said quietly as she held her hands out to him, like a child asking for a a treat.

"Oh? Why not?" He said with a tender smile, lifting the book so that she could see that he had it. "It looks like it is your hand writing. I believe that it will be a good read. Do you not think so?"

"Thranduil, I do not know what you are trying to accomplish, but I promise you that you do not want to read that." She said nervously as she looked at him.

"Then, explain..." Thranduil said as his face grew hard. He stepped closer to her and shut her door behind himself as he glared down at her. "Explain to me why you met with a dwarf, of all creatures, in the village. Why did you not just come home like you were supposed to?"

"This is no home.." She whispered angrily before she turned away from him and walking aimlessly. "I met with him because I am in love with him. I've been secretly seeing men behind your back for years." Her words were all lies, but she knew his anger from jealousy would be much more tolerable and forgiving than his anger from betrayal. "He gives me what I have always craved, a simple life. A life with no jewels or riches. No iron walls to keep me prisoner behind." She spat angrily before turning around. She nearly screamed in surprise when she realized he had been following her as she walked.

"I can tell when you lie to me, Valessfaeniel. Your voice trembles and your body shakes. You are your own downfall, you always have been." He said tenderly before smiling down at her. "Now, tell me the real reason why you went to the town and met with the dwarf."

"I met with him..." She said quietly before a smile crossed her lips. She did not care now. She only wanted to keep her moments, unpleasant as they were, with her daughter fresh in her mind. "Because of Anira. He is her husband."

"Excuse me?" Thranduil said with a touch of surprise in his voice. He stared at her for a few moments before the heat of rage crossed his pale cheeks for a moment. "How could you see her without telling me?"

"I did not do it on purpose, Thranduil! I was going by them and I saw her. I did not know her face or his. I have been around you far too long, because I thought her a whore when I looked upon her. Only the lowest, most used kind of elf girl would settle to marry a dwarf." She said angrily as she looked up at him. "But she is my kin... She heard my thoughts and she began screaming. If it were not for Thorin, my guards-"

"Thorin?" Thranduil whispered quietly before grabbing her by her arms again. "You met with Thorin, Son of Thrain?" He hissed angrily. "Of all dwarves you could have met with, you met with that one!"

"I did not do it on purpose, Thranduil. I have already told you! I was only passing and everything happened so fast. You should be joyous. My daughter hates me and never wants to see my face again. She has no idea that I am even her mother! Thorin told me he would not tell her as long as he lived. You got everything you ever wanted. I am left with you, only you, forever. I hope you are happy."

"But I am." Thranduil said gently as he rose his hands and cupped her face tenderly, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "I am married to thee most beautiful woman in all of Middle-Earth and I know now that she will not leave me for any reason." He whispered gently.

He knew that his actions towards her were cruel and unusual, but he could not risk her leaving. He had fallen in love with her from the first moment he had seen her. She was bruised and covered in blood and wound. She had escaped torture worse than death and was stumbling through the forest of Greenwood. His scouts had found her and brought her within the realm for questioning. She was frightened, half awake and starving when he saw her. Even in the weakest of states, she was absolutely perfect as she stood before him. He knew then that she and only she would ever be his wife. It took years of persuasion to convince her to wed him, but she did agree. For a brief part of their marriage, he thought that perhaps she would love him.

He had never been more wrong in all of his life. The older she grew, the more she distanced herself from him. She never even allowed him to explain why he had sent Anira away. He wished every day that he could, but it was too late now. Her child was grown and going to start her own family. She wanted nothing to do with Valessfaeniel and he thought it best that way.

When he was a younger man, he had met with Lady Galandriel and she had showed him his future. He knew of his second wife to be, but did not know when he would find her. To be honest, he did not recognize her when he did find her. There was too much dirt to see clearly. He had also seen that the child was going to be the death of Valessfaeniel, leaving him alone for the rest of his life. That was why he sent her away. He could not bring himself to murder such a small child, but he could not bear the thought of her being the death of his wife. He forced the child to leave, hoping that it would be enough to change the course of time. So far, this had proven to be true. Valessfaeniel was still within his life, even if she hated it.

"You spit words as if they are venom..." She said quietly as she looked up at him. "But your words are true... I have no where to run, no one else who loves me or wants me. You are the only thing left, and I can not stand you." She whispered sadly as tears filled her eyes.

"Do not be so cold. We both know that those words are untrue." He said with a small smile as he leaned down, touching his nose to hers gently. "What about all of those nights we have spent together in my bed? Have you forgotten them?"

"They are meaningless." She snapped coldly as she turned away from him again. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, as if would be enough to shut him out of her mind. He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, pinning her arms against her body as he nibbled on her ear. She let out a small gasp of surprise as she tried to squirm out of his grasp. He was much stronger than he typically let on. His arms felt as though they were boulders upon her arms, holding her down.

"Meaningless...? Those are the only times you have ever said you loved me..." He whispered into her ear, pressing himself against her harder. She closed her eyes tightly and began struggling more violently when she felt his warmth and hardness against her.

"You made me say it. Those words were never my own." She whispered angrily as a blush rose to her cheeks.

"Oh, but they were. I remember the look on your face as you told me you loved me. I threatened to stop touching you. Those are the only times you allow me to touch you and love me touching you." He whispered quietly, sliding his arms down her skin, twining his fingers with hers.

"I do not ever love you touching me. It is a trick of the mind. Do not confuse loneliness for love, Thranduil. It will be the death of you." She warned quietly. She did not pull her hands from his and it killed her. Loneliness what her only downfall here. Even she, despite all of her anger and hatred, could not take the sting of loneliness for very long. When Thranduil always tried to be close to her, to touch her, to love her, she gave in and she resented herself for her weakness.

"A trick of the mind? Is that what you told yourself when those other men touched you before me and left you with child?" He whispered quietly as he lifted one of his hands, wrapping his slender fingers around her throat tenderly. He did not want to hurt her or frighten her, but only hold her. He wanted to feel her pulse beneath his touch, to know how his words affected her.

"Thranduil, please... Do not speak of that..." Valessfaeniel whispered quietly as she shook her head. "Do not speak of those events to me. They are nothing but history now. Why can you not just let them be?"

"I am just surprised, is all. The women who helped heal you said that your wounds were no where near as bad as they should have been, especially inside." He whispered again. "Did you convince yourself that it was not that bad? Did you try to like it so that you would not suffer so badly?" He hissed into her ear.

"Thranduil... S-stop... P-please..." She whispered quietly as her lower lip began to quiver. He knew exactly where to poke her with a sharp stick. He always knew just what to say to make her bend before his will.

"Why would you give your womanhood to villains within the woods, after they hurt you... Why will you not give yourself to your husband? He has to beg and plead for any affection at all. All he has done is try to protect you from the world outside of these walls."

"You have done nothing to protect me!" She hissed angrily as tears began to slide down her cheeks. "You are not a creature worthy of pity or love."

"What about affection? Why do we make each other suffer the sting of loneliness when all we need to do is stay together?" Thranduil whispered quietly as he slid his hand down her neck and to her chest, tracing his fingers across her left breast before sliding his hand down to her hip. His touch made her shiver and long to have him continue, but she would not say it. She could not tell him how badly she felt she needed him. Perhaps he was right. She was nothing more than a whore now. His personal toy, for his enjoyment and his enjoyment alone.

"Thranduil, please... Stop..." She whispered sadly as she closed her eyes, trying to will herself to fight against his touch, but she could not. His words were so cold, but she could not resist them. His cruelty was something she was attracted to and she did not understand why. The power he had over those around him, the surety of with which he ruled, these were the things she could not resist. Perhaps one day, thousands of years from now, she would really love him, not just lust after him. Her need was the only reason she did not leave him. She liked how he made her suffer, just for being alive.

"I will not stop... You will answer my questions, and then, and only then, will I leave you alone." He said gently as he removed his hands from her and took a step back. She clenched her teeth to keep herself from turning around and reaching for him. Even after all of his cruelty, the coldness she felt when he left her hurt more than she could stand.

"What do you want to know...?" She whispered sadly before she slowly walked to her bed, stumbling slightly before sitting down upon her blankets again. She looked down at her hands upon her lap, like a child who had been scolded. She knew that there was no point in arguing with him. There never was.

"What am I going to find when I open this book?" He asked gently, watching her as she sat down. He smiled to himself, knowing that he had won.

"You are going to find my story that I had left for Thorin Oakenshield. I did not know him then, and I barely know him now." She explained nervously as she too a deep breath before wiping the tears from her eyes. "I knew that he would marry my daughter, or rather, he would have to. Krystoff would have done to her what you are doing to me now. She would have been hurt and she would suffer for the rest of her life. I could not bear that thought for my child. I wrote my story and I left it for Thorin, within the keeping of Vera. I see now that I was right to trust her with it above all others." She said with a sad smile.

"You knew that the dwarf would make her... Happy...?" He asked gently as he looked down at her.

"I did not know that, not for sure. I had hoped, hoped that if my visions were correct, if my sight was true, that he would be good to her. He seems to love her and want to protect her from harm. He was even willing to protect her from me, knowing that the wrath of the elves could follow in my footsteps if I so desired it." She said sadly.

"Where are they now?"

"I do not know... I went to them. I was going to try and speak with Anira, without yelling or insulting. I wanted to just speak to her, to run my fingers through her hair. She grew up to be an extremely radiant young woman and I only wished I could have helped her."

"Is there anything else that I should know before I read this book?" He said quietly. He was almost feeling guilty now after seeing how sad she was. Despite his cruel actions, his intentions were pure. He always did what he thought best for them.

"You should know that she hates me with all of her heart. The last page was written by her... It was all I found when I went back to my sanctuary, which they had burned to the ground before leaving." She said sadly before looking up at Thranduil. "You have taken everything in life away from me... I am only a ghost now."

"Perhaps I should try and make your spirit come back to your body..." He said with a tender smile before standing before her and placing his hands upon her shoulders. He leaned down and traced his lips against the skin of her cheek before tenderly kissing her upon her lips. She trembled against him, but then turned away in her own shame. She hated that she let him get so close after he had said such cruel words to her.

"Thranduil..." She said quietly. "Must we do this now...?" She whispered quietly.

"I suppose we do not have to... But you are so hard to resist and I can see you fighting your own temptations. Why not give in to your feelings? I promise I will not mistake your loneliness for love." He said with a bitter laugh before he pushed her back upon the bed and leaned over her, kissing her harder now. His teeth clashed with hers while he opened his mouth, pushing his tongue against her lips. She cried out with teeth clenched, trying to deny him his desires. He reached up and grabbed her cheeks, forcing her teeth apart as he continued to kiss her. He knew now, after years of doing things this way, that he would not leave lasting bruises on her. All of her injuries always healed before morning. No one would ever know of what went on behind these closed doors.

"Will you promise to be at least a little more gentle tonight...?" Valessfaeniel whispered quietly against his lips.

"I can not make that promise. You know this." He whispered quietly as he grabbed her dress from around her shoulders and began to slide it down her body. He left it bunched all together in a heap upon her waist. He slid his hands up her bare torso and let out a small moan as he looked down at her. She was blushing bright now, obviously ashamed of her own desires. She nodded her head nervously as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to kiss him again, biting at his lower lip and trembling against his warmth.

"I have never let a woman have such power over me..." He said quietly as he raised both of his hands, cupping her breasts and squeezing softly as he continued to layer kisses upon her lips.

"I have no power over you." She whispered quietly before letting a small moan escape her lips before twining her fingers within his long, silver hair.

"That is what you think... I let no one leave these woods, but I allow you to go when you please." He whispered quietly before he pressed himself against her harder so that she could feel his throbbing manhood against her. "I have no desires for anyone else but you... It breaks my heart when you deny me, but I do not force you when you push me away." He continued gently as he slid his hands down and lifted her dress from her legs, causing all of her dress to be bunched up around her waist now.

"You only allow me freedom because I agree to be your slave..." She whispered sadly as she looked up at him. "And now..." She said nervously, biting her lower lip for a moment. "You are just teasing me... You are trying to get me to beg."

"Clever girl..." He said quietly as he placed a warm hand between her legs and smiled. "Look at how excited you are..." He said gently, rubbing her womanhood tenderly with his fingers. He enjoyed feeling her burning heat against his fingers.

"Do not embarrass me so!" She whined quietly before turning away from him.

"I do not aim to embarrass you. We are the only two people here. I am not making fun of you, nor is anyone else. Embrace your feelings, do not shove them away." He whispered gently before biting her ear again, tugging gently. He smiled when he heard her moan yet again.

"You know how badly I desire you. Why do you need to hear me say it out loud?" She whined quietly as she tugged at the collar of his robes.

"I hardly ever get to hear you say it." He said tenderly. "Of course I am going to make you say it while I can."

"Please..." She whispered quietly.

"Please what?"

"P-please..." She whispered, her lower lip quivering as she nervously spread her legs and looked up at him. "Please take me. For a little while, let us be one together and spend the night without pain or torment of the mind." She said sadly. "Please, Thranduil."

"How can I say no when you ask so sweetly?" Thranduil said with a tender smile before he leaned over her, pulling his pants down slightly and entering her without a single warning. He groaned deeply, bracing himself against her bed. He leaned down and kissed her neck tenderly as he thrust his hips against her, clashing with her own. Her body jerked beneath him and she let out a small cry of pleasure as she wrapped her arms around him. Carnal instinct was so much stronger than the perception of right and wrong in the mind. She knew that it was wrong to need him, and to let him know that she needed him. She also could not stop herself from wanting him.

"Th-Thranduil." She moaned quietly as she wrapped her legs around his waist, trembling as she looked up at him. "It... It hurts a little... Please be gentle..?" She asked softly.

"I will be gentle today." He whispered quietly before gently thrusting against her again. She cried out again, digging her nails into his back as he moved. "It would not hurt so badly if you would only allow yourself to do this more frequently." He said with a small laugh. His breath was hot against her skin and it gave her goose-bumps.

"You keep saying that..." She whispered with a small laugh before moaning into his ear. "Perhaps one day, I may actually listen to you..." She said gently, rocking against him slightly. "Do not stop moving, please." She whined tenderly against his ear.

"As you wish, my queen." Thranduil whispered before he continued to move against her, moving their bodies as one.

Valessfaeniel found herself staring at the ceiling most of that night, trying to ignore what was happening, but she could not. She probably could have loved him if he were only a kinder man, even if just to her. If he had allowed Anira to stay with them, she would not loath him the way she did now. She would have endured his cruelty knowing that at least her child was safe. Now, she had no idea where her daughter was or what she was doing. Anira was all but completely lost to her now that she was within Thorin's grasp. She prayed that her daughters marriage would be much more rewarding than her own.

Valessfaeniel woke very early the next morning and dressed in silence before leaving her room, slamming the door behind herself. She did not care if she woke Thranduil from his deep slumber. He had laid upon her bed, still fully clothed after their night together. This was normal for them now. He took what he wanted from her and basked in the glory of getting his way. Meanwhile, she loathed herself and every thought of her weakness with him.

She walked down the halls and out of the realm, walking towards the river. She planned to stay there most of her day, soaking in the water and scrubbing her skin until she was red and raw. She wanted to get rid of every trace of Thranduil that still may be upon her. She walked carefully through the forest of Mirkwood before arriving upon the soft beach that surrounded it. She went to remove her dress when she heard someone behind her. She closed her eyes, dreading the thought that Thranduil had followed her to her only remaining safe haven. She turned around and was surprised. Before her stood Legolas, Thranduil's only son. He wore scaled armor around his shoulders and chest. He stared at him with the same piercing look that Thranduil gave her when he had questions.

"What are you doing this far out of the realm?" He asked sternly as he took a step towards her. His bow was within his left and, gripped tight.

"I could ask you the same thing." She said gently before brushing her hair back from her face with a nervous hand.

"I am out here on patrol, making sure that the spiders are not.." He stopped then and grabbed her chin gently. "Are those bruises?" He asked quietly.

"They are nothing." She said quickly before slapping his hand away and turning from him, wrapping her arms around herself again.

"Did my father do that to you?" He asked gently.

"I told you, it is nothing. Just leave it be, Legolas." She said quietly.

"Why do you not scream for help when he hurts you? He may be king, but most of us, even within his guard, are willing to defy him if we know he is wrong." He said sternly as he watched her. He never thought of Valessfaeniel as a mother or even as a step mother. She was hundreds of years younger than himself and thousands of years younger than his father. She was nothing more than a frightened child that had learned the cruelty of men at a very young age, and had been suffering from it ever since.

"What good would screaming do? I know that you are not afraid to defy him, but who else is as brave as you? You are his child, he would not dare harm you if you defied him." She said sternly as she looked back at him and shook her head. "You are not always around to keep me safe from him."

"I could be. I could take a room next to yours and-"

"Legolas." She said with a small, sad laugh. "He would assume that you wanted more than to just protect me. You being near would only be worse for everyone involved." She said sternly. "It is best to just let me deal with him on my own. I have survived so far, haven't I?" She laughed.

"What happens when you no longer can survive on your own?" Legolas said sternly.

"I will die." She said with a bright smile. "And it will be the happiest day of my life by far." She said sadly before looking away from him again. "I have thought about drowning myself within this river every time I come here."

"Why do you stay here? You could run."

"Go where, Legolas?" She laughed, holding her arms up to show him the forest around her. "No one will take me in. No one is going to risk the wrath of Thranduil!" She screamed angrily. "He has made sure that there is no escape for me. There will never be an escape for me." She said angrily as she walked closer to him, glaring up at him. "Why do you care so much about what he does to me? You do not even like me..." She spat angrily.

"You are wrong... I do care." Legolas said gently before placing his bow upon his back. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and rested his cheek upon her head. "I do not look at you as a parent, I will admit that. But, I do respect your courage and your will to carry on. You are one of the strongest people I have ever met." He said gently before pulling away and looking down at her. "You will get away from him. You will see your daughter again. All is going to be well for you, but you have to live to see those days." He said gently. "I suggest you head back to the realm with haste. I am on my way there now. I could escort you."

"I would, but I am still so unclean." She laughed sadly, shaking her head. "I need to clean myself first or I will be miserable all day." She said gently.

"Can you wash quickly?" He asked gently as he looked around. "Here. I will go over there." He said hurriedly, pointing over to the stone bridge that crossed the river. "I will keep an eye out for spiders whilst you clean yourself. Afterwards, I will take you back home."

"Thranduil sent you here, didn't he?" She said finally, closing her eyes as she realized what was going on. "He knew where I would be... He also knew that I would not want to see him today." She said quietly.

"He did send me here." Legolas admit gently. "But the words I have spoken to you are my own. I only told him I would make sure you would not be hurt while out on your own." He said quickly.

"There is no point to bathing now." She said sadly as she walked back to him. "You may as well escort me home now."

"Valessfaeniel, I do not wish to hurry you or-"

"Legolas. Take me home." She said sternly as she began walking towards the elven realm.

Legolas brought her back within the realm of Mirkwood without trying to talk to her. He would look over at her occasionally, trying to figure out how he could help her to escape his father. No one deserved to suffer in a marriage the way that this girl suffered in hers. His father had not always been a cruel man and even now, he did not understand what made his father cruel. He wanted to speak to her, but knew that Thranduil heard all things within his walls. He was not willing to start a war against his own father.

"Thank you for escorting me home." Valessfaeniel said gently before she walked away from him, heading down the stone stairs, towards the dungeons. She always had such a sense of peace when she looked upon the cells. They never had any prisoners screaming, because no one ever came into Mirkwood anymore. They were completely and utterly alone. The only other beings that would have anything to do with Thranduil were the men of Lake Town. Even their correspondence was little and far between.

"If you ever need any help, Valessfaeniel, all you have to do is ask." Legolas called down after her with a sad tone. He then walked towards the throne room and was filled with anger when he saw his father sitting upon his throne.

"Did you bring her home safely?" Thranduil asked quietly as he sat up a bit straighter. He smiled down at his son. There were few things he felt he did right with utter surety, and raising his son was one of those things. He was going to make an excellent king one day.

"She is home safely, but she is not happy." Legolas answered sternly as he looked up at his father. "I saw bruises upon her face. Do you know about that?"

"I do not know why she has bruises." Thranduil said sternly as he looked down at his child.

"I think you do." Legolas snapped back angrily as he took a step forward. "How can you stand to say you love her when all you do is torment her and make her wish to take her own life?"

"Take her own life?" Thranduil asked gently, his eyes growing wide as he looked at Legolas. "Has... She said this to you?" He said gently. He knew that she had said it to him, but only when he was close to her. He always thought that she only said these things to try and guilt him and make him stop. He never fathomed that she actually meant these words.

"She did. She told me that she wanted to drown herself within the river to escape your cruelty. I may not like her and she will never be my mother, but she deserves to be treated better than you treat her. She deserves to be treated like a living being at the very least!" Legolas shouted angrily before turning away and walking angrily from the throne room. He did not want to look at or speak to his father until his temper cooled. Starting a war with Thranduil would be unwise, but he was not going to continue to let Valessfaeniel suffer.

Thranduil sat upon his throne, deep within his thoughts. He thought that fear was the only way he was going to keep his wife with him, but she was being driven from him. He did not know how else to keep her now. He could not repair the damage of the last eighty years of their marriage. He could not take back every cruel word he had said or every cruel action he had taken. There was nothing but blackness before him and for once in his life, he was terrified.

"I will not lose her..." He whispered quietly as he stood from his throne and walked down his black steps. He walked up the stairs across the realm up to her bedroom. He pushed her bedroom door open and sighed as he looked upon it. There was still glass everywhere and the bed was a mess, the way he had left it. He walked in and wrapped her blankets into a pile and set them aside. He was not just going to clean her room, he was going to try and show that he cared about more than just making her presentable.

Hours passed before Valessfaeniel felt the need to go back to her room. Her bruises were all healed flawlessly. She could feel the throbbing soreness in her legs from all of her walking. She was not used to moving around so much all in one day. She pushed her door open and her jaw fell open. The room was flawless and there were lit candles everywhere, filling it with a warm light. There was a blue vase of flowers sitting upon the night stand beside her window. She smiled and walked over to them, sniffing them nervously. They smelled heavenly and made her smile. Their scent was similar to that of honey. It reminded her of the sticky, golden substance. She reached up and stroked their petals with gentle fingers.

"I am glad to see you like them." Thranduil said quietly from behind her. Valessfaeniel gasped and turned around, nearly knocking the vase off of the table as she stared at him.

"Thranduil, did you do all of this...?" She asked with a nervous tone, trembling as she looked at him. She had knots in her stomach. She felt as though she may be sick at any moment.

"I did. I know that I can never fix what I have done to you, Snow Bird." He said quietly as he took a step towards her. "But I am going to try. I have the rest of time to prove to you that I do love you. I have been a terrible husband, a selfish husband." He said gently before lifting his crown from upon his head and placing it upon hers. "You are my queen and I am going to start treating you like it."

Valessfaeniel just stared at him with her mouth open. His face showed nothing but kindness and, dare she say it, sincerity. He looked absolutely childish as he stood before her. How could this possibly be the same man who had haunted her footsteps for almost a century. He looked so different without his crown and without lust or anger in his eyes. She only nodded her head, unable to think of what she could possibly say to him. She wanted to remain cautious, but hold out for optimism. Maybe her suffering was finally going to end.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Mountain

Anira's journey with the dwarves went off without almost any delay or hardship. That first week of her travels with Thorin truly were the worst of all the events. As they traveled further and further south, she could hardly believe how warm the air was. There was no threat of snow or even a cloud in the beautiful, blue sky. She wondered how they could all continue to stand wearing their thick cloaks and armor. The nights were cool, but still warm. There was now dew upon the soft grass when dawn came, not frost. They had stopped in only two small towns, both of which seemed to recognize Thorin and know him by name. She wondered why he travelled so much if his home was beneath the mountain. She would have to remember to ask him. Everything around her was just changing so quickly and she could hardly keep up. Balin was explaining everything he could to her, about their culture and their way of life. He described Erebor to her in great detail. She could almost see the golden halls and the great depth of their halls. He told her of the Arkenstone, the heart of the mountain, and about how its beauty could not be matched by any other object on this world. He also explained why they no longer lived beneath Erebor. Anira listened to his story of horror, fire and death. She could not imagine having suffered such loss and still have the strength to carry on. She looked over at Thorin with sadness in her eyes, but he had not been paying attention. He was deep within his own conversation with Dwalin. He was smiling and laughing. Anira wished she could see him smile more frequently, but she was starting to understand why he did not.

They had been traveling for almost three weeks now and Anira refused to continue to ride upon the horse while the men walked beside her. She walked with a slight limp, but she kept up without a problem. All of her bones had healed well, even her fingers worked. She did not have full function in them, but they worked. Grabbing small objects was a difficult task for her and she could no longer tie or untie knots. Thorin was doing his best to support her and help her regain usage of her fingers. She did not expect that he would have turned into such a good husband so quickly. He loved her, and now she knew it was true. She could see it in his actions every day, and hear it in his voice when he spoke to her.

"Is that the mountain?" Anira asked gently as she raised her hand to point. The mountain was still rather distant and hardly visible through the fog that had surrounded them since morning. She knew that their trek was supposed to take about this long and she desperately hoped that they were almost home. Home. That sounded nice. To be able to sleep in a warm bed each night and have a good kitchen to cook meals in. To have the safety and comfort of walls all around. Even from a distance, the mountain looked as though it touched the heavens themselves.

"That is our home. That is the entrance to The Blue Mountains." Balin said gently as he looked up at her. "We will stop soon for the night, but we should reach the mountains by tomorrow evening."

"Must we wait so long?" Anira protested gently as she looked at the large, looming shadow in the distance.

"You have already waited almost a months time. One day is not going to make a difference now." Balin said with a small chuckle as he smiled up at her. "We will arrive there soon enough. As it is, our people are going to be very surprised to see an elf arriving with us."

"Thorin has said that your people do not look too kindly upon the race of elves." She said tenderly before looking down at the ground. "He made it sound as though they will not like me, but they will not hurt me either."

"They will not hurt you, lass. You are arriving with Thorin. They will probably assume that you are a hostage or a prisoner. When they realize you are his wife… There might be minor hysteria."

"Hysteria? Why would that be?"

"Well, you see, dwarf women propose to those they love." He said before looking over at Thorin. "As the future king, he has been a very caught after lover. He's denied almost half of our women." He said with a small laugh. "We all decided he would just never marry, but, here you are. The woman who was able to change his heart."

"I did not try to… I do not know what I did to change his heart." Anira said quietly.

"Do not dwell on it, Anira." Thorin said sternly as he looked over at her. "My heart belongs to you and that is all that matters now. Our people will respect you for that, if for no other reason."

"Why did you turn down so many women, Thorin?" She asked tenderly as she stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder softly. "Why did you turn down so many and then not even hesitate to marry me?"

"Perhaps it was the magic that surrounds you." He said sternly before he looked up at her. "Or perhaps it was because when I look into your eyes, I no longer see my own pain. The loss of Erebor does not weigh on my mind. Wishing death upon Smaug the Terrible is a distant thought. It is because when I look at you, I can only see the good in the world."

Anira blushed and did not say another word. He always knew just what to say to ease her mind. She leaned down and kissed him tenderly upon the cheek before she looked ahead, towards the mountain. She wondered what it would look like. She had never seen a city carved out of stone. She knew that it would not be as lovely as they described Erebor, but it had to be stunning. There was very little that dwarves could do that did not impress her. Her dream was to be their equal one day, to wield weapons with skill and accuracy, to carve into stone and make lovely objects. If they accepted her into their home, she was determined not to disappoint them. However, they needed to accept her first. That was going to be the hardest part of their entire journey. She had heard Balin and Thorin talking about a Council late at night. Neither of them ever spoke to her of these things, but they spoke about her. She did not know who the Council was, or why they would not accept her, but she feared them. They gave her a feeling of rot within her stomach.

They stopped for the night once the sun set over the horizon. Between the darkness and the fog, there was no chance of continuing onward until the sun rose again. They took shelter within a small cave that had been near by. They huddled inside and started a small fire to cook their meal over. The meal was small, just a few scraps of rabbits meat, potatoes and carrots. Balin was very skillful when cooking during travels. Every meal he had made for them had been absolutely delightful, even if it was simple.

Anira found herself looking out of the cave, towards the mountain in the distance. She wanted so badly to finally be able to settle into a home. She missed sleeping on a soft bed, with piles of furs and blankets. These luxuries seemed only distant memories to her now and it had only been a month. The dwarves must have thought her to be such a silly girl, or at least, they would if she had ever spoken her mind to them. She would not even tell Thorin of her desires. She felt that her words would only be an annoyance to him and she did not want to be a burden.

She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and let out a soft sigh as she looked through the mouth of the cave. She felt Thorin's arms wrap around her gently from behind as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. He rested his chin upon her shoulder and looked towards the mountain with her.

"Are you nervous?" He asked quietly as he tenderly stroked the skin of her arms with his fingers.

"I am, very." She said quietly as she turned to look at him. "What if they do not like me…? W-what if they want to make me leave this place? I could not stand to be forced away from you, Thorin. My heart could not take such a pain." She whispered nervously as she rested her forehead against his. "You are my cherished one."

"No one is going to take me away from you." He said quietly, squeezing her tightly. She loved how his arms felt around her. He was so strong and warm. His touch filled her with a sense of comfort and safety.

"How can you promise that? I've heard you speaking with Balin during the hours of the night. I have heard you speak of your council. You think they will try to send me away, but you have not told me these things. Why are you hiding what we both fear?"

"I did not mean to hide it and we do not know these to be facts, not yet. We know that the laws of our people say that Elves and Dwarves can not be wed." He said tenderly. "But we already are." He said with a tender smile as he looked at her. "We know they will try to dispute our union, but there is nothing they can do to tear us apart now. I will not chose another bride, not as long as I shall live. If I can not have you, I will have no one."

"Why are you willing to sacrifice so much for me?" She asked quietly as she pulled out of his arms so that she could reposition herself. She laid down upon the sandy cave floor and rested her head upon his lap. She hugged his leg tightly and took a deep breath. "I do not understand why you are willing to give up so much, just to keep me near you."

"You seem to forget how much you have given up for this union." He said gently as he stroked her hair with a gentle hand. "You gave up your home, your family. You gave up your life as you knew it, just to give me a chance. You did not even hardly know me then, Anira. We were strangers who had an irrational belief that love at first sight existed." He said with a small chuckle. "We were right to assume what we felt in our hearts was true."

"Do you think that we will ever be able to go back to Maradok..? I would like to see my sisters once more." She whispered sadly. Most of the time, she chose not to think of her home. It caused her heart to ache and long to hold her sisters in her arms again. She craved the comforts of home above all else. Any home would do, as long as Thorin stayed with her.

"I do not see why we could not go back one day." Thorin said with a tender smile. He knew that they would never make it back to Maradok while her sisters still lived there. He could tell by their actions before that neither of them had intended to stay once Anira left. He would take her there as she wished, just so that she could see her home once again. He knew how he longed to see Erebor again and did not feel right to deny her what he was denied.

"I can not sleep, Thorin." She said sadly as she let out a deep sigh. "I am filled with too much excitement and fear to be able to sleep. Will you stay awake with me?" She asked gently.

"I do not know if I can stay awake the whole night with you." He said with a small laugh. "My kin is going to love you."

"Your kin?" She asked gently as she sat up and looked at him.

"Ah, yes, I've completely forgotten to tell you." He said with a heart-filled laugh. "I have a sister, and two nephews back home. They are absolutely going to love you."

"A sister and two nephews? What are their names?" She asked with a small smile. She lowered her gaze, tracing her finger through the sand on the cave floor, making small shapes and pictures.

"My sisters name is Dis. Her two boys are Fili and Kili. We are the last of the line of Durin." He said gently.

"The last…? There are… No others? What about your parents?" She asked gently.

"My mother died when I was very small." He explained quietly. "My grandfather was slain during our battle for Moria. My father went missing… That was why I was within Maradok to start. I had been on a quest to find him. I have tried several times to find him. No one ever has any information, and I do believe the trail has gone cold." He said sadly. "I can feel that he still lives… But I know now where he is, or how to find him."

"I am sorry, Thorin." She said sadly as she cupped his cheek, stroking his beard tenderly.

"Do not feel pity for me, Anira. I will find him. I know that I will." He said confidently as he looked at her with determination in his blue eyes. "I am thankful that I still have my sister and her children."

"I am glad that you were not completely alone before you met me." She said with a small giggle.

"Not by blood, but I did feel alone." He said gently as he placed a large hand over hers. "I will feel the pain of loneliness no more. Not now that you are here with me."

"Will you to put a sock in it?" Dwalin's voice called grumpily from the floor across the cave. "Some of us are actually trying to sleep!" He growled bitterly before rolling onto his side, facing the wall opposite them.

Anira looked a Thorin and he only shrugged his shoulders as a response. She sighed and decided she would at least try to sleep. Thorin had calmed her nerves, even if just a little bit. She hoped it would be enough to let her body sleep. She laid back down upon the sand and paid her cheek upon her arms, using them as a pillow. Thorin laid on his side next to her, placing a hand on her back tenderly as he closed his eyes to sleep.

She did not remember falling asleep, but she woke up as Dwalin and Balin were packing their sleeping supplies back into their bags. She had never even set up a bed. She did not think she would use it, but she did end up sleeping. She sat up and rubbed her eyes nervously as she looked around.

"Are you ready?" Thorin asked gently as he stepped into the cave and offered her a hand. "By night fall, you will be enjoying the hospitality of my kin. There will be roaring fires, bountiful amounts of food and drink. There will be songs and laughter. There will be nothing but love and family." He said sternly as he kissed her knuckles. She loved it when he did this. She felt as though it was one of the sweetest actions he could take to show his affection for her. It was small, soft and his facial hair tickled against her skin, but she loved everything about it.

"You make it sound as though it is a sanctuary." She said with a small giggle as she wrapped her arms around him tightly, closing her eyes. "It sounds like everything I have ever hoped for. I am ready to go."

They tied all of their belongings back onto the horses and began the last of their long travel home. Anira found it easier to keep up with them today. Her thigh did not seem to hurt her as it had before. She thought that maybe the wound was finally healing the way it should be. Her muscles were finally mending themselves beneath her flesh. Thorin frequently looked over at her, to make sure that she did not look fatigued. She wore only long sleeves now and the reason broke his heart. She was covered in scars now, from her night with those horrible men. They had cut her more deeply than any of them realized. He questioned what kind of blades they had. Wether it be the dirt, rust, or blood that was on their blades, they scarred her skin and destroyed her elvish looks. There was even a scar beneath her eye from the punch that was delivered to her face. How any being could destroy such loveliness was beyond him. She did not seem to mind that she was no longer flawless like the rest of her kind. Part of him believed that she enjoyed feeling more like a human.

"You look very excited." Thorin said with a soothing tone as he reached over and grabbed her hand.

"More than words can express." She whispered tenderly as she squeezed his hand. "I so long to see your home."

"It is going to be your home as well, Anira." He said with a small chuckle. "You are going to be queen beneath the mountain."

"Queen?" She laughed with a small snort. She blushed and covered her mouth with a hand nervously before looking at him sheepishly. He had a bright smile upon his face as he looked at her. He had never heard her laugh so hard she snorted, and he found it to be rather adorable.

"Yes. Queen."

"No! I am no queen." She laughed, shaking her head. "I am no where fit to be royalty of any sort."

"Oh, and you think I am? Anira, when you met me, I was working as a blacksmith in your town. Did I even remotely resemble a prince when you met me?" He laughed heartedly.

"Well, no… But-"

"Face it. You are much better at being royalty than I have ever been." He said sternly. "You were raised by a high class man who taught you the ways of respectable rulers. I was too, but by the standards of dwarves. There is a reason that our alliances with men and elves no longer exist. When it comes to politics, we are lacking in our knowledge and tact." He said with a smile. "Perhaps, having you will fix that."

"This all depends on if your Council will allow me to stay within the mountain." She said gently.

"I do not fear them nor their decision. If they make you leave, I will leave with you. They will not risk losing me just because of outdated laws." He said sternly.

"Do not do that, Thorin." She said sternly. "I will not let you forsake your people for me."

"My people will not betray me because of their own fear." He said sternly. "I make these threats, knowing only that they will never betray me and my rule."

Anira knew better than to argue with him then. He was always so stubborn. Once his mind was set on something, there was no talking him out of it. All sense bounced right off of him. The rest of their journey was spent in almost complete silence. Balin and Dwalin were speaking quietly to one another about food and ale, ignoring Thorin and Anira.

The sun went through the sky at its usual pace, but it seemed to take so much longer to Anira. She wished that they could finally arrive home and relax. Each night she feared that they would run into cruel men as they had earlier in their trips. Men who wanted to rob and hurt them. She no longer cared for the race of men outside of her home. They were all cruel and filled with blackness she could not understand. What had happened to them to make them so cruel?

Taller and taller the mountain grew as they drew near. It touched the sky and its peaks were covered in snow from the cold. The mountain range was much larger now than she had been able to see from a distance. There were beautiful greens growing upon the sides closer to the ground. She could see it, tiny in the distance, a door. There was a large door, that seemed to glow a bright, rich blue in the distance. She could not tell what substance it was made of from this distance, but knew that it must have been huge if she could see it from here.

"Is that the entrance?" She asked quietly, focused on the blue rectangular shape in the side of the mountain.

"That it is." Thorin said gently as he looked up at her. "We are almost there. Are you still as excited?"

"No." She said honestly as she shook her head. "I am more nervous than excited now. I feel as though I might be ill." She said skeptically before looking over at him. "What if they do not like me?"

"Do not worry yourself about such ridiculous things. There is no way they won't like you."

"He's right, lass." Balin interjected gently as he looked over at her, finally breaking away from his conversation with Dwalin.

"What makes you both so sure?" Anira asked sternly, not convinced with just their belief. She wanted reasons.

"Lass, I do not know a single person who hates elves the way that Thorin does. If he likes you, despite his deep hatred and his wounds of mistrust, there is no way that anyone else will dislike you." Balin said with a smile behind his white beard. Anira smiled at him and nodded her head nervously. For an elderly dwarf, she found him to be quite adorable in his expressions and his mannerisms.

"I was told of his deep hatred for elves. I was certain he hated me when he met me." She laughed quietly.

"Oh, really?" Balin asked with a stern look as he focused on Thorin. "What did he do to you, do I have to rough him up?" He said as he adjusted his belt and tried to make himself look taller.

"No, no." She said with a small laugh. "He did not do anything put speak his mind." She said sweetly. "He was a good man. He repaired my…. My necklace…" She whispered nervously as she placed her hand upon the pendant around her neck. She had all but forgotten the little trinket that was once her mothers. After all that had happened, she was not sure if she even wanted to keep it. When she was younger, it was all she had of her mother, who she was told to be dead. She did not want to give up the good memories this pendant gave her of her childhood, but she did not want to keep it now that she knew who that terrible woman really was.

"Come now, Anira." Thorin said gently, trying to draw her back out of her thoughts. It worked. She shook her head and smiled at him before looking back at Balin and continuing her story.

"He fixed it and then snuck into my bedroom, if you can believe it. He climbed up the wall and came in through my balcony door." She said with a small laugh.

"He did, really? That seems so unlike him? Thorin, making rash decisions and not thinking them through? No, that does not seem like him at all." Balin said with a very sarcastic, teasing tone as he looked over at Thorin.

"Make fun all you want. I am the one who gained a wife from my foolish actions." He said with a small smile.

"That you did, laddy, a strong one at that."

"Strong, smart, and more loyal than any woman I have met before her."

When they finally arrived at the base of the mountain, Anira could do nothing but stare in shock and awe as she looked up. It was larger than she had ever imagined and far more elegant. There were celtic designs carved into the stone all around the doors and words written in dwarfish. She could not read them, but hoped that maybe the dwarves would teach her to read, write and speak as they did. The large, blue doors appeared to be made of stone and she could not help but to run her fingers again their smooth surface and trace her fingers across their designs. She had never seen stone so blue in all of her life and it was beautiful.

Thorin came up behind her and stood next to her, smiling up at her. He placed his hands upon the doors and pushed them open. She gasped and stared in shock as he moved the doors that were at least six times his height. She knew he was strong, but how on earth could he be that strong? She looked forward and into the large mountain as it opened before her.

A hot wind blew out from the mountain and washed over her face like hot water. She took a deep breath and slowly followed Thorin inside. Everything seemed to shine and shimmer with jewels and light. The craftsmanship within the mountain was far more beautiful than she had ever expected. The pillars, hallways, doors rooms, everything within sight was completely made from the stone of the mountain. She wondered how they did it. How they could they carve into stone and build hallways and rooms that connected and looked positively elegant. She had watched men build homes out of pieces of rock back home and that seemed hard enough. But this, there was no making mistakes with this. If they made a mistake, there was no adding more stone to fix it. Everything had to have been created flawlessly, the first try, every time. This skill gave her a deeper respect for the crafts of the dwarves. Thorin fixing her necklace must have been nearly an insult to him. After all of the things he was clearly capable of creating, fixing a silly little trinket must have been no more than a children's project.

"This place is more beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined, Thorin." She said breathlessly as she looked around. She looked up and realized that all of the halls and rooms went as high as the eye could see and it took her breath away. Building one level seemed impossible, but they had dozens both above and below the level the stood upon now. Their skill was unearth and she could hardly even believe what her eyes were seeing.

She was completely oblivious of the dwarfish men and women that had now flocked around them and where whispering between themselves. They were all excited to see that Thorin arrived back home safely yet again. Each time he left, they all feared that they would lose the one person who kept them all together. The fact that he had an elvish girl with them made them all skeptical of his journey. He did not seem to regard her as a captive, but what other use would he have for an elf? After Thranduil betrayed their people, Thorin swore that he would never help them.

"Uncle!" A dwarfish man with shaggy, black hair called loudly as he pushed his way through the sea of dwarves to greet them. "It's good to have you home!" He said with a large smile as he wrapped his arms around Thorin.

"Kili, Lad! Have you been keeping everyone in check?" Thorin laughed as he hugged the younger dwarf back. This dwarf looked strange to Anira. He did not have a large nose or beard. He looked like a human male. He was actually fairly attractive, for a dwarf. She could not properly judge their looks though. She found herself to be biased, seeing as she had married a dwarf man.

"Of course, Uncle!" Kili said with a bright smile. "Not a single disastrous event has occurred since you left!" He said proudly before looking over at Anira. The smile left his face then and he just stared at her with eyes wide and mouth falling open slightly. She felt nervous, not knowing why he was staring at her. She brushed her hair back from her face and looked away from him sheepishly. He took a few steps towards her and bowed before her. "Hello, M'lady. Kili, at your service." He said sternly before looking up at her.

"Hello. Anira, at yours." She said, bowing her head nervously as she looked back at him. She looked back at Thorin for help, but knew that no help would come. He had kind of a devious half-smile upon his face as he watched the younger dwarf. He crossed his arms over his chest and seemed to act like he was waiting for something unexpected to happen.

"May I say, my lady, that you are the loveliest being beneath this mountain." Kili said with a tender smile before taking her hand in his. "If there is anything I can do for you, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask. I would climb the highest mountain, or go into the deepest cave if there was a task you needed accomplished." He said breathlessly. She had no idea where any of this was coming from or why he seemed so determined to please her when they had only just met and barely even exchanged names.

"You are very sweet, thank you." Anira said nervously as she pulled her hand away from him, holding it to her chest fearfully. She did not much like how forward he was, but he did not seem to notice her discomfort.

"I am being serious, M'lady. And, if you are ever looking for any company…" He said, reaching for her hand again. A bright blush crossed her cheeks and she was about to start screaming at her to get away when Thorin finally interrupted the younger man.

Thorin came up from behind him and wrapped his arm around the boys neck tightly, holding him under his arm. Kili struggled for a few moments, placing his hands on his uncles arm.

"Let go! Can't you see I am trying to woo a woman right now, uncle!" Kili protested childishly as he tried to struggle to get away.

"Now, Lad, is that any way to speak to your aunt?" Thorin asked quietly as he looked down at Kili. Kili stopped struggling then and just did his best to look up at Anira. Disappointment crossed his face for a moment before confusion as he looked up at Thorin.

"Uncle, you married?" He questioned with surprise obvious in his cracking voice.

"Aye, that I did." Thorin said as he slowly released Kili, stood up him straight, and patted him upon the back. "She is the reason I have returned so much sooner than expected." He said gently.

"I can not believe you married while you were gone." Kili said sternly as he looked at his uncle. "Is that even legal? Can you marry an elf woman?" He asked frantically before looking back at Anira.

"No, not technically, but I do not really care for the technicalities of our laws." Thorin said sternly.

"Uncle!" A second voice called from the distance. There was another young dwarf man, with long, wavy blonde hair and a braided mustache. His eyes were a bright, stunning blue, just like Thorin's. She could see the resemblance between these two much more than she could see it between her husband and Kili.

"Ah, Fili! Just in time, lad!" Thorin said with a smile before hugging the other man just as he had hugged Kili. "Could you people be so kind as to help us with our belongings? Everything is upon the horses. Could you bring mine and Anira's things to my room?" He asked with a small smile. "I have a few things to take care of with the council."

"The council? Will you not greet all of your family first?" A deep, womanly voice called from behind them. Thorin turned around and smiled brightly.

"But of course, I shall say hello to all of my blood first." He said with a small laugh before walking over to the other dwarf and hugging tightly.

Anira thought it sounded like a woman, but she was confused. This dwarf had longer, braided hair that was over both of their shoulders, but had a full beard. The body was slightly rounded and wearing what appeared to be a dress. For the life of her, she could not tell what gender this being could be that Thorin was hugging.

"Anira." Thorin said sternly as he broke the hug and turned back to her, still having an arm wrapped around the other dwarf. "This is my elder sister, Dis." He said with a small smile.

"Oh my god, that's a woman." Anira said in shock before covering her mouth. A hot blush of shame and embarrassment crossed her cheeks as she looked down at the floor. "I am so sorry. Forgive me for my rudeness." She pleaded quietly.

Balin and Thorin looked at each other nervously before they both began laughing at the small mix up.

"In all of our conversations with Anira." Balin said as he chuckled. "How come neither of us thought to tell her that even our dwarfish women have beards?"

"I suppose that it is just so common to the rest of us, we did not even think of it." Thorin said with a laugh before looking at his sister. "Anira is my wife."

"Wife?" Dis questioned with a small smile. "My dearest little brother finally decided to marry!" She squealed excitedly as she hugged him tighter, shaking him violently as she did so.

Anira could not help but to smile and think of her own sisters. If it were not for Krystoff, she felt that her sisters would have reacted much the same way to her union with Thorin. This made her miss them all the more now, but perhaps Dis would be kind enough to accept her as family, and as a sister.

Dis finally released Thorin before she quickly walked over to Anira and looked up at her. Anira smiled nervously down at the woman and was actually rather surprised at how lovely she was beneath the facial hair. Her eyes were a lighter blue than Thorin's and filled with a gentle feeling and love. Her face was soft and her cheeks were rosy beneath the full, brown beard that matched her hair.

"Welcome to our family, Anira." She said happily before wrapping her arms around the elf girl and hugging tightly. Anira gasped in surprise, unable to believe how strong this woman was. She could hardly breath due to the hug. She hugged back tightly as tears filled her own eyes. Never did she expect her first meeting with these people to be so filled with love and acceptance. Not a single one of them had said a word against her due to her being an elf. Being accepted by these people was all she had hoped for since she had left Maradok.

"Thank you, Dis!" Anira said happily as tears began sliding down her cheeks. "I am so grateful to be here and to be a part of this family." She said, speaking through her tears. Her voice was slightly muffled and she could not help herself.

Oh, dear." Dis said gently as she pulled back from the hug and reached up to wipe the tears away from the girls face. "Do not cry." She said sweetly. "You must be exhausted from your travels. Come with me and I will make you a nice bath, how does that sound?"

"That sounds absolutely heavenly, thank you." Anira said quietly as she tried to stop her tears from flowing. She had never cried out of happiness before and she thought she must look absolutely foolish.

"Go on with her, Anira." Thorin said gently before he walked to her and tenderly kissed her knuckles. "I have a few things that I still must take care of before it gets too late. I am excited to finally sleep with you in a real bed, and while you are not injured." He said with a small wink before releasing her hand and walking back towards Dwalin and Balin.

Dis crinkled her nose slightly and looked up at Anira with a devious look upon her face. She grabbed the elf's hand and pulled her down one of the long, stone corridors. Dis knew her brother well enough to know what was on his mind. He said he was married to this woman, and she was not naive enough to think that her brother had not yet consummated his love with this girl. She would ask Anira about it, out of friendly curiosity, and so that she may tease her brother, should it be true.

"I do hope you enjoy our system of bathing. It is a little bit complicated, but it is lovely and the water is fresh and hot." Dis said tenderly.

"I am sure that anything will do at this point." Anira replied honestly. "I have not bathed in almost a month and fear I must smell something awful." She laughed before shaking her head quietly. "I'm surprised that Thorin can stand to be as close to me as he does."

"Really? I do not think you smell at all. That is a gift of elves, I hear. You do not suffer the same, petty problems that dwarves, men, or even Dunedain face." Dis said with a small laugh. "Besides, my brother is a good man. He would not be so cruel as to push you away because of something as silly as cleanliness. We are people who dwell beneath a mountain. How much do you think being clean really means to us?" Dis laughed.

"I do suppose you have a point." Anira said with a small laugh. "I do not often think about it." She said before she continued to look around. She felt as though every hallway and corridor they passed seemed to go on for miles and smiles. There were stairs that went up and down and she could not see any end in sight of anything. This place seemed like it was a never ending maze. Hopefully, she would be able to walk through here with Thorin and learn what was where. She desired to know as much about these people as she could possibly learn.

Dis lead her through several hallways and up six flights of long, stone stairs. She thought that her legs may give out on her any moment. How could these people walk this much each day and not fall over exhausted? They must be used to it and she was sure that one day she would be used to it as well.

"Here we are." She said tenderly as she pushed together a dark, forest green door. It was also made of stone that Anira did not recognize. She wondered where the dwarves found these large stones, in such shapes and colors. Dis pushed the door open and the room smelled amazing. It was not a flowery smell, nor did it smell like dust or fire or smoke. She could not place the smell, but it seemed to have a strange affect on her body. She could feel herself growing hot between her legs, just because of the smell of this room.

There was a large bed, at least six times the size of any bed she had ever seen. It was covered with thick, hand made blankets, that were the same deep shade of blue as Thorin's clothing. There were four large bannisters, one on each corner of the bed. There were blue, silk curtains that were tied to each of the bannisters with golden ropes. As far as other decorations, there were hardly any. There were two large dressers that looked almost untouched, a night stand on each side of the bed, a large fireplace with a bear skin rug on the floor before it.

"Is this really Thorin's room..?" Anira asked quietly, resisting her urge to jump on his bed and roll around in all of his blankets. She wanted so badly to wrap herself within the smell of him and enjoy it for a while. She sighed and shook her head. She would wait until after she was clean to lay on his bed. She did not want to make it dirty or mess with the amazing smell of it currently.

"It is. Come on, this way to the bathroom." Dis said sweetly as she walked to a hidden door beside the fireplace. She pushed it open and walked inside. Anira followed her nervously and smiled as she looked around. There was a large tub made of white stone. There was also a sink and a toilet. She laughed quietly to herself. It was amazing how such simple luxuries seemed to mean so much to her after spending only a month on the road.

"This is all so beautiful." Anira whispered quietly before placing her hand upon the white tub. She gasped and pulled her hand back. "It's warm!" She exclaimed quickly.

"Yes, it is." Dis said with a small laugh. "It is a special kind of stone that we have only been able to find here beneath the Blue Mountains." She explained before grabbing a small rope from near the top wall and tugging. A long, thin piece of rock folded down from the wall and it looked like tap that would be used to syphon sap from within a tree. After a few seconds, hot, steaming water poured down from it and began filling the bath tub.

"Oh my god…" Anira said with her eyes wide. "This is absolutely amazing! Not only do you have some of thee most advanced devices I've ever seen, you've made them out of stone, built into the walls!" She said, completely in awe as she watched the tub fill. She sat down upon the edge of the tub and reached into the water, tracing her fingers across the surface as it filled.

"Thank you. We have done our best to rebuild our home, since we lost Erebor." Dis said sweetly. "I'm going to leave you be whilst you bathe. If you need anything, I will not be far away, just call."

"Wait, Dis?" Anira said nervously as she looked back at the woman. "I do not want to be alone here, not yet. You are one of very few people I know here and you are close to Thorin. Will you please stay here with me?" She whispered quietly. "I am sorry if you find this to be an inappropriate request…"

"It is alright, Anira." Dis said quietly before she sat herself upon the sink and smiled down at Anira. "I will stay here with you until Thorin comes back. There are a few things I wish to speak to you about anyway, if you do not mind." She said gently.

"I would like that. I have some questions, too. I think this would be a good bonding experience for us." Anira said with a small giggle. As the tub filled, the water stopped on its own. Anira pushed the tap back into the wall, and it was hardly visible at all except for the golden rope attached to it. If she did not know it was there, she never would have been able to find it. She slowly slid her arms out of her sleeves and slid her dress down her body. She heard Dis gasp as she looked at her. She looked up at Dis and blushed nervously.

"What is it..?" Anira asked skeptically.

"What on earth happened to you?" Dis asked sadly as she pointed to the large, crater like scar in Anira's thigh, and then the scars from cuts upon her legs and arms. "I have never seen so many scars on one person before…" She said sadly.

"This happened during the first week of my travels with Thorin." Anira said sadly as she removed her underdress and bloomers. She slowly lowered herself into the hot water with a wince before looking over at Dis again. Dis had a look of pain and horror upon her face as she looked at the girl.

"Please… Please tell me that it was not my brother who did these things to you." She said. Her tone sounded as if she was going to cry at any moment.

"I will not lie to you, Dis. Thorin broke my arm that night when we had a fight, but that was the least of my injuries. I was a foolish woman and went out on my own into the darkness without a weapon." She said gently, looking down at her bath water as she spoke. "I was captured by a group of very bad men. They tried to rape me that night, but Thorin stopped them, but not after they had done damage. They stabbed me in the thigh, cut my arms and legs, broke two of my fingers, my nose and a few of my ribs. It took a long while for me to heal, especially while we were on the road. We needed to escape the elven queen…" She said sadly as tears filled her eyes before she looked up at Dis again.

"The elven queen..?" Dis questioned cautiously.

"She is my mother, apparently. We learned that during our journeys too." She said sadly before sighing as she looked down at her water again, grabbing a bar of soap from the ledge of the tub as she began to wash her arms. She was silent most of her bath now, and she did not realize that her sadness was upon her face. She hoped that maybe being clean would be enough for Thorin to want to be close to her again. Before she was injured, he wanted to make love to her so badly, but after he saw her naked… He had not even mentioned it in the slightest.

"What is on your mind?" Dis asked sadly.

"Thorin…." Anira said softly before looking up at the woman again. "Am I attractive… By the standards of your people? I know that I am almost completely hairless and now I'm covered in scars…" She said sadly. "I just… When we first married, Thorin seemed to want to be with me physically more than anything…" She stopped then and shook her head. "Never mind, you are his sister, you probably do not want to speak of these things." She laughed sadly.

"No, no, Anira, I want to be able to help you and my brother. If I can do anything to help you two be happy, I would like to. Please, continue." Dis urged on with a small smile. She wanted to ask earlier if Thorin had been a decent man and waited for her to be ready or if he had forced her before she desired it. Now, she was certain that they had done nothing at all. She had a deep respect for her brother before, but this proved just how noble a man he really was.

"When I was injured, he saw me undressed… That was the only time." Anira said nervously. "He wrapped me in a blanket and laid beside me all night, but has not asked to see me again since. I think he is not attracted to me, not like he thought he would be." She said sadly as tears filled her eyes. "I just do not know what I can do to show him that I am ready, or ask him if he even still wants me. I love him so deeply and I do not want to disappoint or offend him." She whined as she covered her face with her hands before she began crying.

"Of course he hasn't touched you yet!" Dis said, thinking quickly. She was going to make this work the best way she knew how. This elf girl knew little of their ways, so if Dis told her a few fabrications, she would be none the wiser. At least, not until it was too late. Anira moved her hands from her face with a small sniffle before she looked up at Dis.

"What do you mean? I really am unattractive, aren't I!" Anira cried sadly.

"No, no! There is just a certain tradition amongst dwarves. Women have to make the first move, you know." Dis said with a sweet smile.

"How come Thorin never spoke of this?" Anira said with a small sniffle before she wiped her tears from her face. It was a futile effort, seeing as her hands were still wet.

"I am sure he did not want to push it upon you. My brother is a very good, very decent man." Dis said sweetly. "You see, it is the woman who asks the man to marry in our race. Physical relations are the same way. It is tradition for the woman to wear a dress much to small and a corset much too tight, so that all of her curves and her lovely form can be seen clearly." She said sweetly. "This is how she gets her partner worked up. No man can resist a woman dressed in such a way."

"It seems rather… Embarrassing. What if he does not like it?" Anira asked gently.

"He will like it, I promise you that he will. Now, our women are very dominant in nature. You are going to have to start things with him."

"I.. I can't…" Anira said gently as she shook her head. "I would not even know where to start!" She exclaimed nervously.

"I will help you. You are going to want to drop to your knees and take him in mouth-"

"Are you mad?" Anira whined loudly as she stared up at Dis. "That seems absolutely terrible! Why on earth would anyone do that!"

"Because the men love it. It is one of their deepest, darkest desires, and women who comply without being asked are cherished."

"Are you sure…?" Anira asked nervously. "I feel like you are trying to trick me…"

"Why on earth would I do that? I am only looking out for the happiness of you and my dearest brother." Dis said with a sweet smile.

"I trust you…" Anira said gently. "Though… I do not have the kind of clothes that you speak of."

"Wait here and finish bathing. I will go see what I can find that might fit you." Dis said with a bright smile as she lowered herself off of the sink. "I will be right back." She said as she hurried out of the bathroom and closed the door behind herself.

Anira could hear the bedroom door close not long after that, and she knew she was alone. She stood up and continued to clean her body. She was feeling better knowing that she was clean. It had been so long since she had had a nice bath. She had rinsed a time or two with a wet cloth during their travel, but it was not the same as a real bath.

Dis hurried down the flights of stairs and ran into Thorin as she went. She smiled at him sweetly before looking him over.

"You look like you could use a good bath." Dis said sweetly as she placed her hand upon his shoulder.

"You are right, I am actually heading to my room for just that-"

"No." Dis said sternly. "Anira is bathing there right now. You do not wish to make her uncomfortable, do you?" She said with a tender smile. "You can use my room to take a bath."

"Why do I feel like you are up to something…? There is a hint of guilt in your voice." Thorin said sternly as he watched her skeptically. "What on earth are you up to?"

"I am up to nothing. Your journeys have made your skeptical of all." She said with a tender smile. "Go on now." She said gently as she shoved him back. "Go down to my room to bathe."

Thorin looked at her skeptically but nodded in agreement as he walked back down the stairs. Dis watched him go and let out a deep sigh of relief. Her brother had always been too smart for his own good. Dis continued down the flights of stairs until she found their seamstress. She quickly explained what she needed. The elderly dwarf was skeptical of her purchase, but did not question it. Anything that would bring in money was helpful. Dis took a few golden coins from her pouch and placed them into the elderly woman's hands. She thanked her quickly before practically running up all of the stairs. She was breathless when she finally reached the top and hurried back into Thorin's room, closing the door behind herself.

"Anira, we must hurry. Thorin will be up here before too long, I can guarantee it. We still need to get you into these new clothes." Dis said hurriedly as she set the bundle of clothes upon the bed.

"Are you sure?" Anira called nervously as she stepped out of the bath. She looked around for a few moments but could not find a towel. She picked up her dress and wrapped it around herself nervously as she stepped out from the bathroom. "How can you be sure that he will be here so soon?"

"I ran into him as I was on my way to buy your clothes. He is down in my room taking a bath now. He's not in any hurry, but I want to have you dressed and I want to be long gone before he comes up. Hurry, come here." Dis said as she held out a hand for the girl. Anira took her hand and was quickly tugged over to the bed.

"Are you sure about this?" Anira asked skeptically.

"I am positive. This is how I got my husband to marry me." Dis said proudly as she pulled Anira's dress away and tossed it aside. "I am sure that this is going to work for you. Perhaps you and Thorin will have some handsome young children like my own one day." She teased gently.

"That does sound nice…" Anira said quietly before she stopped talking. She let Dis dress her, well, if you could call it that.

The silky blue gown she was in had long, flowing sleeves that hung from her wrists, though that was almost all it covered. It was more like a shirt than a dress, stopping just passed her hips and not eve covering her womanhood, not like it would have helped. The fabric was translucent and everything could be seen through it. The corset Dis put her in was not too tight, nor did it change her shape much. It hugged her hips and her curves, but supported her breasts instead of covering them. She trembled with cold as the water on her skin dried. She could see her stiff nipples through the fabric and she was completely ashamed of it. She crossed her arms over her chest nervously as Dis finished lacing the corset.

"Alright. I think we are done." Dis said quietly. "Turn around and let me have a look."

"I do not think so." Anira laughed gently, shaking her head. "I think I would like it if you helped me out of these terrible clothes! I have never felt more foolish in all of my life, please, help me remove them." She pleaded nervously.

"Nonsense, I'm sure you look stunning." Dis said sweetly as she forcibly turned the girl around and smiled. She took a few steps back and nodded her head. "You look absolutely beautiful, Anira. Do not be ashamed of your god given gifts. If we were not put on this planet to seduce men, the gods would not have made us women so appealing." Dis said with a wink as she laughed. Anira smiled slightly, liking the way Dis had stated that. Perhaps she was being too self conscious. She lowered her arms and looked down at herself nervously.

"Do you really think that Thorin will like it?" Anira asked nervously, biting her lower lip.

"If I know my brother half as well as I think I do, he will not be able to get enough of you." Dis said sweetly before she stopped talking and listened. "I think I hear his footsteps." She whispered.

"W-what?" Anira cried loudly as she tried to cover herself again. She quickly took one of the large blankets from the bed and wrapped it around herself. "Dis, please, help me out of these clothes!" She whined. Her heart was racing within her chest and she did not think she could do this.

"Absolutely not. Good luck!" Dis called sweetly as she hurried out of the room and shut the door behind herself. Anira could hear her footsteps fading quickly, and Thorin's growing louder from the opposite direction. She took a few deep breaths, wondering what she could do. The only other clothes she had was her dirty dress that lay at her feet. She could always hide until Thorin went to sleep, but that seemed like a terrible idea too. She had no choice now but to be brave and actually attempt what she wanted to do. She hoped that he would not deny her now. Her heart could not take that kind of rejection, especially not after dressing so foolishly.

The door opened after a few moments and Anira took a deep breath, facing the wall as she stood beside the bed, still wrapped within his large blanket. It smelled like him and was making her hot between her legs again.

"Why on earth are you wrapped in a blanket?" Thorin said with a small laugh as he shut the door behind himself.

"I was cold." Anira said nervously as she turned around and smiled at him. She knew she looked foolish wrapped in his blanket, but it was better than letting him see what she was actually wearing.

"I can see that." Thorin said with a small smile as he looked at her. He looked so different to her now. His hair was still wet from his own bathing and his face looked clean. It also looked as if he took the time to trim his beard and make it look neat again. He wore only a thin, black tunic and black trousers. All of his blue robes, belt, cloak and sword lay neatly in his hands.

"You look so… Clean." Anira said with a nervous smile. She was trying to act as normal as she could, but she knew that she wasn't. He was going to notice that something was not right with her. It was only a matter of time before he questioned her.

"So do you." He said with a small smile before letting out a small sigh. "Do you like it here?" He asked quietly.

"It's beautiful." She said quickly, too quickly, as if she did not want to talk about anything else. "I was admiring this place the entire time Dis was showing me to your room." She said sweetly. "I would love to take a walk around here and see where everything is, if we could."

"It is late now, but we could still go. Everything will be lit up beautifully because there will be sun coming in from our high windows." He said hurriedly. "If you are willing to put the blanket down, we could go now." He teased.

"I… I can't…." She said nervously as a bright blush crossed her cheeks.

"What are you hiding Anira? What did Dis do to you?" He asked sternly. "I can tell that something is wrong. You are trembling and you are not speaking like yourself." He said with a hard look upon his face. "Tell me, now, before I have to go hunt my sister down."

"No, Thorin… It's nothing bad… I just feel foolish. I feel like a stupid child and I hate it!" She cried out suddenly before looking at him. Tears filled her eyes as she turned away from him. "You have not even tried to get close to me since the night I was injured…." She whispered quietly. "I.. I do not know if it was because Balin and Dwalin were with us, but it seemed as though you were no longer attracted to me after you had seen me undressed." She whimpered.

"Anira… That is not why…." He started before letting out a deep breath. "I stopped touching you because I wanted to prove to you that I was not after only an heir. I wanted to be a good husband for you. I did not want to be a selfish man." He explained gently.

"I did not know how to tell you…." She whispered nervously as she closed her eyes tightly and released the blanket, letting it fall to the floor around her feet. She slowly turned around to look at him. "I.. I told Dis you would not touch me, and… A-and this was her suggestion." She whimpered nervously as she rose her hands to cover her mouth to keep herself from crying.

Thorin just stared at her with wide eyes. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. He thought her the most beautiful creature he had ever seen when she had clothes on, but this. This was pure torture. She was more than just beautiful, she was seductive and he wanted to touch every inch of her. He wanted to rip the clothes from her body and trace his tongue down her chest, across her breasts, down her stomach and… He gasped when he realized that his manhood had grown stiff with his thoughts. He dropped all of the objects within his hands to try and force his member back down with his hands. He looked up at Anira, slightly embarrassed as he tried to hide his own blush.

"You…. Are beautiful…" Thorin said quietly as he stared at her. "Forgive me… I…" He laughed nervously. "The minds of men often go to the darkest places very quickly. I look at you and all I want…. Is to rip those clothes right off of you and force you onto my bed… But if you do not want-"

"That is what I want, Thorin." Anira interjected nervously as she slowly walked towards him and got on her knees before him, a bright blush on her face. There were still tears in her eyes as she smiled up at him. "That… That is why I dressed like this. I wanted you to know that I wanted to be with you, finally seal our union. I just… Did not know how to ask you." She said nervously as she placed her hands upon his own.

"All you ever had to do was ask…" Thorin said gently as he cupped her cheeks and kissed her roughly. She gasped nervously as she placed her hands upon his arms. She kissed back just as roughly. Their teeth clashed as they opened their mouths, swirling their tongues together. It was a feeling that Anira had always enjoyed, his tongue against her own. It was so hot, wet, and strong against her own. Everything about him was strong and made her body ache for him. She slowly slid her hands from his arms and gently caressed his hard manhood with trembling fingers. He let out a small gasp as he broke the kiss, placing one of his hands upon her own.

"What in Durin's name are you doing…?" He whispered quietly before leaning down to kiss her again. Anira turned away and blushed brightly, looking like a tomato before she looked back at him.

"P-please…. Just…. L-let me try this…" She said nervously before she leaned down and lowered his pants with trembling fingers. She gasped when his hard manhood revealed itself to her, pulsing as she looked at it. She trembled, closing her eyes nervously before wrapping her fingers around it. Thorin let out a deep moan as he placed his hands upon her shoulders.

"You do not have to-" His words were cut off as she wrapped her lips around his hard shaft, swirling her tongue around the head nervously. He trembled and gripped her shoulders harder as he found it harder to stay standing. He panted nervously as he looked down at him, twining his fingers within her hair as he watched her. She slowly began to move her mouth on and off of his shaft, sliding it deeper and deeper into her mouth. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to get lost in the pleasure of her hot mouth around his manhood. He resisted every urge to move his hips, to thrust into her. He did not want to scare her and make her stop what she was doing. She continued moving deeper and deeper, little by little until she could not do it anymore. She gagged softly and pulled off of his shaft completely, gasping for air as she looked up at him with a bright blush on her face.

"What's wrong…?" Thorin asked gently as he cupped her cheek.

"I.. I do not wish to do that anymore, please…" She whispered sadly as she began shaking her head.

"I won't make you." He whispered before kissing her upon the forehead. "But now, you need to take off that outfit and lay down on the bed." He said gently as he pulled his pants back up.

"I can not unlace the corset by myself." She whispered quietly before standing up. Thorin nodded and turned her around. He knelt down and picked up his dagger from the floor and quickly cut the laces on her back. He grabbed both sides of the corset and forced them apart with ease. He grabbed her dress from her shoulders and slid it down her body without hesitation.

"Well, that was easier than expected. Lay down upon the bed, with your legs over the edge." He said sternly before slapping her on her behind. She cried out softly and hurried towards the bed. She sat down on the edge and laid back nervously, covering her breasts with her hands as she lay there, trembling with excitement and nervousness.

"Like this…?" She asked nervously, shifting her hips slightly. Thorin came into view, standing before her and he smiled.

"Almost…" He said quietly before leaning down and grabbing her legs, throwing them over his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around them and gently placed his hands on her thighs, near her womanhood. A bright blush crossed her face as she watched him.

"P-please don't! This is so embarrassing!" She protested quietly as she tried to close her legs.

"I let you do it to me. Calm down, Anira, I'm not going to hurt you." He said quietly as he began to layer soft kisses upon the insides of her thighs, getting closer and closer to her womanhood. She could feel his breath, hot against her skin and it was giving her goosebumps. That's when she felt it, like a hard pinch as he bit the inside of her thigh gently. Her body jolted and she cried out, but she did not know wether it was pleasure or pain. She could not tell if she liked it or not. She laid back against the bed, her chest heaving as she took a few deep breaths. She could feel her nectar dripping from her womanhood after his bite. Her body must have liked it, though her brain did not understand why.

"You are already so excited, Anira…" He whispered gently as he shifted beneath her.

"Thorin, that's-" She stopped and cried out loudly, covering her mouth with her hands as she felt his tongue against her. He was sliding it up her womanhood, between her nether lips. She could not see him as his hair covered his face. She trembled, placing her hands on the back of his head as she felt his tongue trace up her womanhood. She moaned indignantly as she tried to squirm away from him. He held her legs more tightly and slid his hands to her womanhood, spreading her nether lips gently as he prodded her opening tenderly with his tongue. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his heat against her, but that was short lived. Thorin forced his tongue inside of her small entrance, flicking it around tenderly as he nosed against her clit, causing shivers of pleasure to course through her body, washing over her like waves upon the beach. He continued to move his tongue in and out of her, drawing her fluids from her with ease as she trembled and moaned beneath him.

"Th-thorin~" She moaned quietly as she moved her hips against him. "Please… Please stop teasing me… I want you… S-so badly~" She cried out, moaning again as she gripped the blankets beneath her. Her grip was so tight that her knuckles were turning white from the force.

"Are you sure…?" Thorin said, slightly breathless as he finally stopped. "I am kind of enjoying tormenting you like this…" He whispered quietly.

"I am sure, please!" She cried out loudly before she sat up. She leaned down and cupped his cheeks, kissing him roughly as she looked down at him. She could taste herself on his lips, but she did not mind. He still tasted like himself and she craved him more than anything now. He slid her legs from his shoulders as he stood up and kissed her back, tugging her closer to the edge of the bed. She could feel his hard, throbbing manhood between her legs as he pressed against her. She looked at him with a bright blush across her legs before she smiled. She had never trusted anyone like this and thought that she never would. Thorin was truly special to her and she was so lucky and grateful that he was the man she was going to give herself to.

"Is there any way you want to do this in particular…?" Thorin asked quietly as he stroked her cheek. "I do not want to hurt you…" He said gently before kissing her again.

"Lay down on the bed…" She instructed with a small smile. "I have an idea…" She said sweetly. He watched her nervously for a few moments before nodding. He quickly lifted his tunic off over his head and threw it aside before stepping out of his trousers. He got onto the bed and laid down with his head on one of the large, fluffy pillows at the end.

"What on earth are you planning?" He laughed quietly before closing his eyes.

"You will see." Anira said as she leaned over him, kissing him tenderly before she got on top of him, sitting upon his lap. She trembled, feeling his hard shaft against her womanhood. She blushed nervously and rocked her hips slightly, sliding his shaft between her wet nether lips before she placed her hands upon his hairy chest. She loved how it felt beneath her skin. She stroked his chest for a few moments, admiring how he looked. He was so muscular and every inch of him was covered with brown hair, with a few streaks of gray here and there. His age was one of those things that made him so attractive to her.

"I like looking up at you like this." He said quietly as he lifted his hands to her breasts, squeezing tenderly as he looked up at her. "I want to be able to see the looks on your face… I want to hear every little sound that you make…" He said gently, thrusting up against her. She cried out and scratched at his chest nervously as she leaned down, tenderly kissing him upon his lips.

"Just.. Be gentle, at least to start… I do not want to get hurt." She whispered quietly against his lips.

"I will do my very best, not to hurt you…" He said quietly as he smiled against her lips.

She nodded and nervously lifted herself on her knees. She grabbed his stiff shaft and nervously lined it up with her entrance. She closed her eyes and slowly began to lower herself down upon him. She let out a small cry of agony as he entered. Her body was trying to stretch to accept his size and it seemed to burn. She stopped moving as tears filled her eyes.

"It hurts, Thorin… It hurts a lot…" She whimpered quietly before she continued to lower herself down onto him. She could not feel it, but a small trickle of blood slowly slid from her entrance. Her innocence was now lost. She had given it to Thorin, and she did not want it any other way.

"I know… I.. I'm sorry…" Thorin said, moaning between his words. He felt guilty for hurting her, but it felt so good to him. He could not help that she was the only one in pain.

"Maybe… This…." She whimpered before forcefully pushing herself down onto him until her hips united with his. She cried out again before falling forward, resting against his chest as she trembled. She whimpered, petting his chest nervously as she held still.

"Are you alright..?" He asked quietly, trying so hard not to move his hips against her.

"I will be alright… I… It is already starting to hurt less.." She whispered quietly before she lifted herself up, trembling as she put her hands upon his chest again. She moaned quietly as she began to move herself on him, forcing him in and out of her. It was starting to feel good, making her whole body tremble each time it re-entered her. She panted nervously as she looked down at him. She could see the pleasure upon his face. He placed his hands on her hips so that he could thrust in time with her. He was going in as deeply as he could, and she cried out in pleasure each time he thrust. There was nothing better than the feeling of him inside of her. She could not understand why she had denied herself this for so long.

In an instant, Thorin was on top of her, thrusting into her harder than she was capable of doing on her own. She cried out loudly in pleasure as he pushed into her, rocking her entire body with each thrust. He leaned down and latched his mouth upon her right breast, sucking tenderly before biting down upon her stiff nipple. She cried out loudly and her body jolted against him. She could feel her pleasure building up inside of her, wanting to release.

"Th-thorin…" She whispered tenderly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, trembling. "I… I want to bear your children…" She said quietly as she buried her face against his neck.

"And you will…" He whispered quietly as he continued to thrust into her. "I promise." He said gently before he began to thrust into her even faster. She cried out again, throwing her head back, unable to control her sounds of pleasure. He thrust into her more and more quickly before suddenly he slowed to nearly a stop. She looked up at him nervously and he pushed into her once more.

That's when she felt him erupt inside of her, causing her own pleasure to finally release itself. She cried out as she was blinded by pleasure. She could see bright colors across her vision as her mind was completely lost within the sensation of him filling her with his hot, burning fluid. Her legs trembled around him and after a few moments, he collapsed upon her, breathing heavily. He kissed her neck repeatedly before slowly pulling himself out and laying beside her. He looked over at her and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand tenderly.

"We are bound to one another…" He whispered tenderly before closing his eyes. "No force on earth can tear us apart now…" He assured her.

"I hope you are right…" She said quietly as she curled against him, snuggling into his side. His skin was coated in sweat and was causing her own skin to stick to his. This was normally a sensation she did not much care for, but right now, it felt like the best thing on earth.

"I love you, Anira…" Her said gently as he wrapped his arm over her shoulder, kissing her tenderly upon the head.

"I love you too, Thorin…" She said softly, enjoying the feeling of his kiss before sleep quickly took her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**The Council**

Waking up beside Thorin was the happiest moment that Anira ever had in her life. A night they had spent together, not suffering, or injured, or arguing. Just one night where they could sleep beside one another and not have to worry about what may come in the morning. She was more than ready to have some time to enjoy life instead of fretting about each little thing.

She let out a long yawn, stretching out her arms and her shoulders as best she could before she looked over. A smile crept across her lips when she saw that Thorin was still asleep beside her. He looked beautiful in the early morning light, coming in through the sky lights in the mountain. His hair was tousled around his face, looking almost like he was sleeping upon a birds nest. She found herself wondering then, whose hair was longer, hers or his? She giggled softly and rolled onto her side, leaning forward and kissing him tenderly upon his cheek. She left layers upon layers of kisses, getting closer to his mouth before finally sitting up, leaning over him and kissing him upon his lips.

She heard his breathing pattern change then and she broke the kiss, pulling back so that she could look upon him. His eyes were open and looking like shimmering, blue pearls as he looked up at her. He raised a hand and gently ran his fingers through her silver hair.

"The sunlight makes your hair glow." He whispered quietly before smiling again. "If I did not know any better, I would think I died and was being greeted by an angel."

"I think you exaggerate, dear husband." She whispered quietly before leaning down and kissing him one more time before she sat up, and continued her stretching. She did not even realize that she still did not have any clothing on, until he reached over and traced his fingers up her spine. The gentle contact with his hot skin gave her goosebumps and made her tremble.

"I do not think I exaggerate." He said with a small laugh before he sat up and knelt behind her, layering kisses across her shoulders. He placed his hands upon her arms and caressed them lovingly as he continued to show his affection. "There could never be a more perfect woman for me, than you."

"How could you say that? After how ungrateful I have been for your saving my life?" She asked with a small groan as she turned around to look at him. She grabbed a blanket from the bed and covered her chest as she spoke. She wanted him to take her seriously, with no distractions. "If it were not for you, who knows what torments I would have suffered in the hands of Krystoff!" She protested loudly before sighing and brushing a lock of hair back from her face. "If it were not for you, Thorin, I would have been trapped in anguish, with no hope for escape."

"Is that really how you feel, Anira?" He asked quietly before he lifted a hand and raised her chin gently with his forefinger and thumb. "That is what you saved me from as well, except my anguish was within my own mind. Your light and your love saved me from the darkness within myself. I will not ever be able to repay you for what you have done for me. I was not exaggerating when I called you an angel. An angel is what you will always be, to me." He said tenderly before leaning forward and kissing her tenderly upon her lips, his beard tickling her face as he did so.

"Perhaps it was just fate that we should save each other from darkness." She said quietly before releasing her blanket and standing up. She stretched, not turning to look at Thorin, knowing that he would still be staring at her until she would stop him. She hurried to one of the dressers and pulled it open, frowning slightly before she turned around and looked at her husband.

She was right, he was staring at her. He laughed and let out a small sigh as he stood up and walked to his own dresser with his back to her, pulling a tunic on over his head before putting on his trousers and belt. He turned back around and looked at her before letting out a small laugh.

"Ah, there are no clothes for you here, are there?" He said with a playful look on his face. She only shook her head with a small smile as she looked across the room at him. He quickly crossed over to her and smiled up at her, placing his hands upon her hips. "What are you willing to trade for my services to go get you some clothes?" He asked quietly. His tone was obviously playful. He was doing his best to tease her and he hoped she would not take it too seriously.

"What would a king ask of his queen?" She whispered tenderly before slowly wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly upon his forehead.

"I would only ask of her what she is willing to give." He said quietly as he looked up at her, trailing kisses across her collar bone as she held him.

"You know that I would give you all I had to give, if only you would ask it of me." She said with a tender smile before looking down at him again.

Then, there was a small knock on the door. Thorin groaned loudly and turned to look at the door, pushing Anira behind himself so that if someone chose to be rude, they would not get an eyeful of his wife.

"Who is it?" He growled angrily as he looked at the door.

"It's Dis." A woman's voice called back cheerfully. The door opened a crack and two hands reached in, placing a neatly folded pile of clothes on the table next to the door.

"Thank you, Dis!" Anira called sweetly, placing her hands upon Thorin's shoulders, squeezing tightly.

"Also, you two really need to stop being so repulsively, sickly, disgustingly in love. You are going to give those of us around you the sugar sickness!" Dis called, playfulness in her voice before the door shut and her footsteps were heard walking down the hall.

"Older sisters never really grow out of teasing." He mumbled to himself softly before stepping aside and looking up at his wife. "Well, for now, you do not owe me any favors." He said with a small wink before slapping her on her rear end. She gasped and cried out in surprise, blushing brightly before glaring down at him.

"I am never going to get used to dwarves." She said with a slightly disgruntled tone as she walked across the room and quickly lifted the dress on over her head.

Dwarfish clothes were different than anything she had ever worn. Their colors were darker shades and their fabric was more stiff and thick. She felt as though the dress she wore may of even been wool, for it itched something awful against her skin. She wondered if she should wear her usual underdress, but decided not to. After all, it was much too dirty to be worn anymore. She reached around the back of the dress and groaned in frustration, not being able to lace it by herself. She looked over at Thorin with desperate eyes.

"Now may be your chance to earn your favor from me." She said with a tender smile. "Could you help me lace my dress?"

"Of course." He said with a small laugh as he walked over to her. He worked quickly and was finished before she could even try to make small talk with him.

"Thank you." She said gently, fixing her hair so that it was above her dress. "What favor would you like in return?" She asked sweetly before turning around to face him.

"I wan't nothing from you. Not today." He said with a tender smile. There was something else upon his face, other than happiness. It looked like nervousness, or maybe even discomfort, but she did not understand why. She reached out to cup his cheek, and he turned from her, walking back towards the center of the room. She nervously lowered her hand and watched him walk away.

"What is wrong, Thorin?" She asked sadly, looking after him. He was fine only moments ago. What on earth had changed his mood so quickly?

"I spoke to you briefly of the Council… The Council of Elders." He said gently, wringing his hands nervously, not looking at her as he spoke. "I am sure that we are going to be brought before them today. Rumor of an elf's arrival here has surely spread like wild fire since yesterday evening. They are going to say very cruel, hurtful things to you, Anira. I do not want you to let them get to you. Do not give up the bond that we have. Do not give up on us, no matter what they say, no matter what they try to convince you of."

"Thorin, what makes you think that I would doubt us?" She said with a tender smile as she walked towards him, placing her hands upon his shoulders. "We are the only thing that I am sure I believe in." She whispered into his hear. He lifted a large hand and placed it upon hers, squeezing gently.

"I just hope that love will be enough to convince them to let me keep you." He said sadly. "We should go now… I would rather get this over with as early as we possibly can. The sooner we win our debate, the sooner we can start our official wedding, and be bound to one another by our law, which no one will deny." He said as he turned to face her. A smile crossed his lips again then, as if his mood had completely switched within a manner of seconds. She did not understand this, but she did not care. As long as his mood was happy more often than not, she would not worry about it.

"I think that they will agree to let me stay." She said with confidence in her voice. "I may not be much of a dwarf, but I do know a thing or two about how to carry myself in public. I am very good at pretending to be a decent, respectable person of noble background." She said with a small laugh.

"Now, that, I know is true." He said with a hearty laugh, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles tenderly. This small action gave her the strong desire to undress him and make him go back to their bed. She knew that now as not the time or the place for such actions. She would wait until later for those needs. She sighed and pulled away from him then, walking towards the door. She grabbed the handle and looked back at him.

"Are you coming?" She called gently.

"I was just noticing the dress you are wearing…" He said with a rather dreamy tone as he looked across the room at her. "Dis must have been up all night altering that for you." He said with a small chuckle.

"This? What makes you say that?" She asked curiously as she looked down, grabbing the dress and flaring it out slightly as she looked at him. "How can you tell? I can not find a single spot that makes me think this has been altered. It's really rather beautiful." She said sternly.

"I know, because it belonged to my grandmother." He said with a small smile as he walked to her and slid his hands down her sides, enjoying the feel of the fabric. "I remember, when I was small, she would tell my siblings and I stories. Oh, how I loved to sit close to her, and rub the hem of her skirt with my fingers as she spoke. It always gave me the greatest feeling of comfort and security, to be near to her." He said with a sad smile. "I did not know Dis kept this dress…"

"If It upsets you to see my wear it, I will find something else." She said quietly, cupping his cheek. He turned against her hand and smiled up at her, shaking his head.

"No. I like seeing you in it. I enjoy reliving good memories. I forgot how many of them I have. They all seem to be drown out by the bad."

"You said siblings…" She said suddenly, trying to change the subject. "I have only met Dis. Do you have more siblings?" She said with a tender smile.

"I had a brother… He was killed when Smaug took Erebor. That was when my grandmother died as well." He said sternly. She looked at him sadly and immediately regret her decision to keep talking.

"Perhaps… We should just go see the Council now?" She suggested quietly, not wanting to cause any more problems with Thorin this early in the morning. She did not wait for his reply this time. She opened the door and stepped out of the room and took a deep breath. She looked around nervously before realizing that she had absolutely no idea where she needed to go. She remembered going up several flights of stairs the night before and decided a good place to start would be to go down. She turned down the long hall, looking around at the elegant carvings in the stone and the eloquent decorations that seemed to line every hall. She finally reached some stairs and praised the gods. This whole mountain was so big. She felt that she would never fully understand where anything was.

"Anira!" A friendly voice called from behind her. She turned and smiled brightly as she saw the young dwarf with black hair running towards her. She could not remember if this one was Fili or Kili, but hoped that it would not come up.

"Good morning!" She called back politely, waiving at him. He continued towards her before standing beside her on the stairs.

"May I walk you to the dining hall, M'lady?" He said with a charming smile before offering her his arm.

"That would be very lovely, thank you." She said with a grateful smile as she tenderly took his arm. He was no where near as muscular as Thorin, but she thought that maybe that was something that came with age.

"I heard that you and uncle are supposed to go before the council today." He said with a small smile. "I am sure they will not say anything to you, you know, about your being an elf and all."

"I am a what? How come no one ever told me?" She said, making her voice sound as surprised as she possibly could. He turned and stared at her, looking horrified, like he had just offended her. Did she really not know that she was an elf? If she were raised by humans, it would be likely that she would not know.

"O-oh.. I.. I did not mean-"

"It's alright, dear. I am just teasing you a bit. I am still trying to adjust myself to the humor of dwarves. I fear I am not very good at it, yet." She said with a small laugh.

"Oh.." He said, uttering a nervous laugh himself before nodding. "I think, perhaps, that you are too good at it and that is why I did not catch it." He said gently.

"I would like to think so." She said with a small laugh. "I keep hearing rumor of this horrible Council, looming over my head. Thorin seems to think that none of them will accept our marriage, or let us have a ceremony that respects your laws." She explained gently. "I fear… I do not know what to think…"

"I think that if you just be yourself, they will have no choice but to love you. I do not know how much uncle has told you, but he was one of thee most bitter of dwarves. Hates elves, hates everything about them. But, here you are with me, beneath the Blue Mountains." He said with a small laugh. "If you could win over Thorin, you can win over anyone."

"Do you really think so?" She asked sadly as she looked over at him again. "I am not so sure of anything anymore. The only thing I am certain of… Is that I do love your uncle, with all of my heart. Since the first moment I saw him." She said gently.

"Where did you meet Thorin?" He asked with a small smile, excited that she actually wanted to have conversation with him. He found himself thinking that he would be lucky if he could find a beautiful elf girl to love him one day. The other dwarves would surely laugh at him if they knew, but it did not make him desire it any less.

"In the city my father ruled over at the time." She said with a small smile. "He was working for a blacksmith and he looked so… Perfect." She said with a happy sigh. "Covered in ashes and sweat, shining in the sunlight like a bronze god." She said before laughing. "I am sorry. You probably think me a foolish woman."

"No, I don't think you are foolish. I don't think anyone would think that of you." He said with a smile.

"Why is that?"

"Because… You carry yourself like a queen."

Before Anira could speak to him, she felt a large hand grab hers. She turned and smiled as she saw Thorin beside her. He smiled up at her before looking passed her, looking at Kili.

"Thank you for taking good care of my wife, lad. I appreciate you keeping an eye out for her while I am not around." Thorin said with a small smile.

"Of course, Uncle." Kili said with a smile before slithering his arm away from Anira as he hurried to continue walking down the stairs. Anira watched him go and giggled to herself as he ran down the steps two and three at a time.

"He is a good lad. He is still a child with his head in the clouds, but he has a loyal heart." Thorin said gently as he watched his nephew head down the second flight of stairs.

"The council is expecting us." She said tenderly. "Kili told me that we should go sooner than later."

"Ah… So I was correct. The rumors of my marriage have spread like wild fire." He said with a small chuckle.

"Everyone in the world seems to know how against getting married you were. Are you really surprised that they all are so surprised? They all probably think that I am a witch who has put a spell on you." She said nervously.

"Do not worry so much. They are going to love you, just as I love you. There is no doubt in my heart that we will make it through this."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, I believe in us. Do you?"

"You know that I do."

"Then, do not worry. As long as we both believe in each other and what we have together. No force on earth is strong enough to tear us apart."

They finished their long walk down the stairs in silence after that. Both of them knew better than to show their weakness or their nervousness. If they were going to survive this, they needed to flawlessly pretend to be strong. She could feel people staring at her from every direction. She was over a foot taller than Thorin, and everyone else. Of course, she knew that she stood out, but she wished she could blend in. She would give anything at that moment to be able to shed her skin and be invisible.

Her discomfort did not show on her face as she walked. She stood, tall and proud and carried herself the way a woman of high class should. Thorin seemed to be impressed with her, his hand never leaving hers as they walked. They entered the dining hall and each ate a small bit of breakfast. Breads, fruits, what ever was left over from the morning. They did not realize how late they had slept until they saw the hall being cleaned after the mornings serving.

After they ate their food, Thorin lead her down a winding series of hallways that seemed to lead to the heart of the mountain. Deeper and deeper they went and the world around them grew darker and darker. There were torches hanging on the walls, just to give enough light to see by. She felt as though she was being lead to her death. For all she knew, she might have been. She held Thorin's hand more tightly and he would always reassure her with a tender squeeze.

Anira felt as though it had been ages that they had been walking. There was no sunlight now, just darkness and stone. There were two large doors before them, elegantly carved with dwarfish runes that she could not read. She looked over at Thorin. She knew where she was and she wanted nothing more than to run away as quickly as she could. She was not ready for this, but as she looked at Thorin, she knew she could not run. She was looking at everything she had ever wanted. No force on earth was going to take that away from her. Not in this lifetime. The doors began to open and she took a deep breath. She was ready to face the council, and not let them take her happiness away. If she needed to start a war to keep her marriage, she would start a war.

"Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, enter the chamber." A deep, husky, female voice called from inside of the dark room. Anira could not see a single thing now that the doors were open and it made her nervous. Thorin squeezed her hand, kissed her knuckles, and released her before he walked into the chamber. He walked differently now. He was confident, with long strides. He was capable of carrying himself like a king after all. She smiled to herself before looking down at the floor. The large doors closed after Thorin entered and she closed her eyes. She was so afraid of what would happen in there while she had to sit and wait. She also knew that trying to force her way in with him was likely not to end well.

"Anira!" A different female voice called from behind her. She turned around quickly to see Dis and her two sons walking towards them.

"Dis." Anira said with a small sigh of relief before running to the woman and hugging her tightly. "I do not know if I can do this, Dis." She whispered frantically. "I am so frightened right now. I do not want to disappoint Thorin. What do I do?"

"You calm down." Dis said gently, petting the girl on her back softly. "You stay calm, and you carry yourself like you have all morning. You are going to be his queen, one way or another. I know my brother and I know how stubborn he can be." She said with a small laugh. "He would rather forsake all of Erebor, than have to lose his happiness again. Between he and I. You can not lose this fight."

"You?"

"Me, Fili and Kili are here to do our best to sway their minds as well. Anyone was welcome to this, but we were the only three who had any contact with you at all, other than Thorin, of course."

"No one will say it, but you coming here with Thorin was the best thing that could have happened to us." Fili interjected with a small smile.

"Why is that?" Anira asked nervously.

"Because, you give us hope. After everything was lost twenty years ago, no one has really been themselves, but people have started again. When Thorin moved on and let it go. When he found love, a light in the darkness. People realized that it was alright to move on." Kili said with a small smile.

"I just hope that your council feels the same way." Anira said gently before finally releasing Dis and looking back towards the door.

"Do you have any idea what you are going to say to them, dear?" Dis asked.

"I am going to tell them the truth, no matter what they ask." Anira said sternly as she stood up straighter and turned to face the door.

"Good plan." Dis said with a small smile, patting the girl on the back gently. "I think you will be fine."

The doors of the chamber opened again. There was only silence and darkness from within. Anira's heart raced in her chest as she stared into the abyss that was the Council Chamber.

"Anira. Enter the Chamber." A deep, manly voice called this time.

Anira took a moment to gather all of her courage before holding her head high and walking into the chamber. She entered and kept walking until she heard the doors close behind her. She stood still and stared into the darkness, wondering if this was going to be their way of killing her. It would be easy, in the darkness, beneath the ground. She was not a warrior and had hardly no elven skills. She wondered if they knew that. No, they probably did not. None of them had any idea that she was raised by Dunedain, not elves.

The room began to fill with light, slowly, so that it did not hurt her eyes. She looked around, blinking as her eyes adjusted. She was only a few feet to the right of Thorin. He looked positively enraged, but he was silent. He was holding his hands in front of himself. His knuckles were white with effort. She wanted to touch him, to calm him down, but she knew she could not. Not yet.

There were at least two dozen large, pillar-like objects that surrounded herself and Thorin, in a circle. There were only seven council members present. She wondered if that was because of all the death within Erebor. There seemed to be so few of them everywhere. She could not tell who were men and who were women, for they all were dressed in eerie, black robes and hoods. All that was visible were their noses and their beards. That, in this race, was no where near enough to decide if one was a man or a woman. Until they spoke to her, she would do her best to stay gender neutral, not wanting to offend anyone, especially not here.

"Anira." A woman's voice called lowly. Anira looked up, watching to see whose lips moved. "Are you aware of what our law dictates about marriage ceremonies?"

"I am quite aware. Thorin explained them to me during our travels." Anira said confidently.

"Than, you know that dwarves can not marry elves." The woman added sharply. It was easy to see that there would be no mercy from these people.

"I believe, that it is law, only because it was never an option in the past." Anira said with a strong tone.

"Excuse me?" A man's voice called from above. Anira turned towards the voice and stayed strong. She did not notice, but Thorin had turned and was staring at her. He wished they had more time to talk about this before arriving. They should have planned what they were going to say.

"Elves and Dwarves have always been distant from one another. Forest and Mountains. Vast lands, but none very close to one another." Anira added as she began to speak. "I am not from the forests, or the rivers, or the valleys. I come from no land of elves and am an elf only by blood. I do not have any skill in medicine, archery, weaponry, or magic." She said sternly. "Above all else, I am a Dunedain, like the family who raised me as one of their own."

"I do not see why this would give us reason to permit your marriage." A different man barked sharply. "Even if you do not find yourself to be an elf, you do not find yourself to be anything like a dwarf. Our laws are clear. Marrying outside of the race of dwarves is absolutely forbidden!"

"But, why!" Anira shouted angrily, loosing her temper as she glared up at the room of council members.

This one comment had released a hell that Anira had not been prepared for. The next three hours felt like years, and the Council said absolutely everything that Thorin warned her they would. They called her a witch, a floozy, a horrible, black-hearted woman who only wanted him for his status. She would not ever let him have an heir, for it would mean she would be stuck here for the rest of her eternal life. They tried to convince him that it was her black magic that made him love her, and that his feelings for her were not true or real. There was even a point in time when absolutely all of them, including Thorin, were screaming at each other in their own language. Anira had only stopped talking and listened to them, trying her best not to cry. If their words were hurtful when she understood them, she could only imagine what cruelty they were saying in their own language. The arguing went on until Thorin was red in the face and had threatened, multiple times, to just leave the Blue Mountains and allow them to run their people without a king or authority figure. He would gladly step aside if it would save his marriage. Of course, the Council did not like this at all and went straight back into their arguments about Anira being a witch.

Fili and Kili entering the chamber was not much help at all. Simply because they were men, the Council was convinced that Anira had tainted their minds with her sexual nature and black magic as well. No matter what either of them, or Anira, or Thorin said, the Council was convinced she had magic to make people like her. She was finally fed up with their cruel allegations.

"If I had this magic you speak of, why would I not use it to convince you seven to like me? We would have left this chamber hours ago if I indeed had magic, do you not agree?" She said with a tired, frustrated tone as she looked up at them. Despite her anguish and heart break, her presence never faltered. She did not cry and she did not lower her head. She stood strong, and confident before them.

Her words had finally silenced the council. They whispered back and forth to one another, as if none of them had expected such a comment. Thorin looked over at Anira and gave her a slight nod of approval. She smiled and nodded her head in return before facing the council again.

"We are going to ask one more person for their opinion of you before we make our final judgement." Thingol, the leader of the Council said hoarsely before the lights went out again. The doors opened and Dis was called into the room. She entered with a fast pace, obviously fed up with having waited outside for over three hours while the Council stayed stubborn. Ah, the stubbornness of dwarves, utterly unmatched by anything else on earth.

The lights slowly came back and Anira looked over at Dis. It was obvious that Dis was completely infuriated with the actions of The Council about this entire situation. Anira wondered why. It was not like laws could just be changed over night.

"Dis." Thingol said loudly as he sat up straighter in his chair. "What do you think of this union?"

"I think…" Dis said gently before looking over at Anira and Thorin with a smug smile before looking back at Thingol. "I think that there is no point in you rejecting their marriage on the basis that she is only an elf." She said sternly. "I mean, after all, they have already been married by the laws of Wizards. Ratagast the brown saw to that." She said sternly. Anira turned and looked at Dis, obviously confused, and slightly angry. Confused, because she had no idea how Dis knew about that. Angry, because she herself did not think to tell The Council about her marriage. She had not thought they would care about the laws of wizards.

"They have already… What?" Farila, the woman who spoke most, said indignantly as she looked down at them. "Without permission of The Council, you married anyway! Thorin, you know better than to disregard our laws so willfully!"

"I also know that you never would have given me permission to marry her." Thorin said sternly. "She makes me happy. Why are you all so determined to take her away from me, after everything I have done for you and our people. Why do I not deserve to have happiness as well?"

"We are not trying to rob you of your happiness. We only want what is best for our people." Farila said sternly.

"I do not understand why this is still going on. Thorin and Anira have already sealed their bond with their flesh. Even if you do not allow them to marry, our laws will not allow either of them to be with anyone else, ever. They are bound to one another by more than just law." Dis snapped sternly as she stared up at The Council. If she could see the absolutely horrified looks upon Thorin's and Anira's faces as they looked over at her, she would probably laugh at them.

"Why do you know this, Dis?" Thingol asked sternly as he glared down at her.

"I may or may not have had a hand to play in it, but, that is not against any of our laws. I simply… Made sure that nothing you could do would tear them apart." Dis said with a proud smile.

"All of you are dismissed. We will reveal our final decision after we discuss what has been told to us." Thingol said sternly as the doors opened again.

All of them hurried out quickly, not wanting to be in that room any longer than they had to now. Anira was the first to leave the room, practically running into the hallway, her arms wrapped around herself comfortingly. She felt as though she was going to start crying, or be sick, or both. She had such good control over her emotions within the chamber, but she could not contain them any longer. She heard the footsteps of Fili, Kili, Thorin and Dis behind her. Once the doors closed, her knees went weak and her legs gave out. She did not hit the ground, for Thorin caught her by her shoulders and pulled her back against himself. He slowly sank to his knees, holding her in his arms as she began to sob. She leaned against his chest, crying into his shirt as he held her. He whispered soft words in his own language, trying to sooth her despair.

Fili, Kili and Dis could only look on as Thorin tried to calm the crying woman. None of them could stand to see Thorin lose her now, not after they saw how much happiness she had given him in such a short period of time. Dis was so enraged by the behavior of The Council, that part of her wanted to storm back into their chambers and give them a real piece of her mind.

"I do not want to be made to leave, Thorin." Anira sobbed as she clutched his shirt. She was like a child now, completely weak and exposed.

"No one is going to make you leave." Thorin said quietly as he stroked her hair. He kissed her tenderly on her head and smiled. "No one is ever going to take you away from me. I do not care what The Council says. Yes, they are the enforcers of our laws, but I am still rightfully king." He said sternly. "I will banish them if I have to, to keep you here."

"No." Anira said sternly as she sat up, pulling away from him. She wiped the tears from her face before she looked at him. Her eyes were hard and unwavering as she shook her head. "No one will be banished for me. I do not care what they have done to us. There will be no banishment."

"Anira…" Thorin said softly as he reached for her, slowly standing up. "Alright… We will find another way." He said with a small smile as he helped her to stand, kissing her knuckles again. He could tell that she liked when he did this, so he made sure to do it as often as possible.

"Thorin, Anira." Thingol called from behind them. They all turned to look at the seven elders and Dis went pale. She knew that if they came up with a decision quickly, it was almost never a good sign. Quick decisions meant that they all agreed on their stance before they even began talking. After how everyone was absolutely against Anira being here, she could only assume that it would mean they would make her leave. She could not bear the thought of her brother feeling the sting of loneliness yet again in his lifetime. He did not deserve such pain.

Anira and Thorin stood tall, holding hands as they faced The Council, not ready to hear their decision. A smaller, older dwarf walked towards them. All seven of them removed their hoods in unison. The dwarf walking towards them was an elder woman. She stood before Anira and smiled up at her with a toothless grin before taking Anira's hand within her own. The touch was warm and friendly, almost comforting. Anira could feel her heart racing as she looked down at the woman.

"Anira. We humbly welcome you to the remaining line of Durin." The elder woman said with a tender smile.

Anira stared at the woman, with her eyes wide and her jaw agape. After the last three hours had been spent in utter misery, with no light at the end of the darkness, she was approved. She would be allowed to stay here, with Thorin and the rest of his people. Tears swelled in her eyes as she leaned down, wrapping her arms around the elder dwarf tightly as she began to cry. Dis, Fili and Kili were clapping and cheering behind them as Anira began sobbing. She had never cried so hard from happiness before and it felt good.

"Thank you…" Anira whispered quietly before releasing the woman.

"Thank you. I am sure that you will lead us to greatness." The woman said gently before stepping back and going back to the rest of the elders. They walked in a single file line, back around the chamber, disappearing from sight.

"I wonder what finally swayed their decision." Thorin said softly as he grabbed Anira's hand, squeezing again.

"I do not know and I do not care. We can be married, Thorin." Anira said with a bright smile before she leaned down and kissed him again. "Though… I know almost nothing about the ceremonies of dwarves. You told me a little… But I am going to need help." She laughed gently.

"That is where I come in, Anira!" Dis called happily as she stepped closer to them. "While he prepares the ceremony, I will help you make your dress." She said sweetly. "When should we start?"

"What better time than now?" Thorin said excitedly before releasing Anira's hand. "I will go tell the rest of our people the good news, and that they should start preparing for the seven day celebration!" He said with a cheerful laugh before he walked off. Kili and Fili followed after him, hoping they could help him prepare.

Dis lead Anira back to her room, showing her all of her sewing supplies. She also explained that not many dwarves could sew, at least, not well. Their hands were so large that it was hard. Dis had been graced with slightly smaller hands as well as her love and skill for sewing. She had Anira stand up on a stool as she grabbed her measuring tool.

"I am going to make sure that you look absolutely radiant at your wedding. Elf and all, every dwarf man here will envy Thorin." Dis said with a small smile as she began to take measurements.

"I can not help but feel like you have planned almost all of this. Is this why you were so determined to push Thorin and I passed our awkward longing for one another last night?" Anira asked gently as she looked down at the woman.

"Well… It was a part of it, yes." Dis said softly, nodding. "That, and anyone with a working pair of eyes could see how badly you two desired one another. Why had you not consummated your love before last night?"

"I think it was because of the fight we had on one of the first nights of our marriage. There is a lot I do not care to explain, not right now, but I believed that he only wanted to be with me… So that he could have an heir that would live through all of the ages and secure his blood line forever." She said tenderly. "I was blind to think such a thing. He is a good man, who truly loves me. I wish I could have understood that sooner."

"It does not matter. You understand it now." Dis said with a small smile. "You are going to be wed by the laws of our people. This has not happened in all of history. You two are going to change the way we see everything."

"I do hope you are right." Anira said softly.

The next week was hell for Anira and Thorin. Due to the marriage ceremony, they were not allowed to see one another at all until their wedding day. Both of them did their best to keep busy, but nothing seemed to help as time dragged on. Thorin was busy preparing their ceremony, making sure there would be enough food and drink for every dwarf within the mountains. Wedding ceremonies were always large and elaborate when ever dwarves were involved. Anira spent most of her days with Dis, who was steadily and impressively creating her wedding dress. It was hard to believe that the woman had started from scratch and was going to be done with the elegant gown within a week. At first, Anira thought this to be a near impossible task, but as Dis worked, she realized that it was really going to happen.

When the dress was completed, it took Anira's breath away. It was not white. She and Dis agree'd that white was not the best of options. Though their marriage was pure, they had already been bound. The fabric was a deep, forest green color that hugged her form. There were celtic knots, embroidered into the sleeves with golden thread. Anira had never seen such lovely work in all of her life. It was needless to say that she was completely impressed. The dress made Anira look as though she belonged with the dwarves. The dark color made her pale skin shine even brighter, but that could not be helped. She did not mind that she looked different from the others. Growing up in Mardok helped her to accept being different than those around her. As the dress was close to being finished, Anira grew more and more impatient. It had only been days, but it felt like weeks. She missed Thorin something terrible and he was all she could seem to talk about. She was actually quite surprised that Dis had never hit her upside the head, or gagged her to silence her words. After all that time together, surely Dis was fed up with hearing about her brother.

Thorin was doing a spectacular job of preparing everyone for the marriage ceremony. Everyone liked the idea of song and drink and cheer for at least a week. It had been so long since anyone had decided to marry. The last official marriage anyone could recall was before they lost Erebor. The banquet hall was completely set, with enough room for everyone who chose to arrive. They were already starting to set out food and drink. The large, long table was decorated with small flowers and candles, making it look nice, but not terribly fancy. Thorin did not feel a need to overly decorate. After all, while everyone else was celebrating this union, he and Anira were likely going to be nowhere to be found. He smiled to himself as he watched the people happily wandering around the hall. He found his mind wandering to his wife, wondering how elegant her dress was going to look, and wondering how fast he could get it off of her once they were again bonded.

"I think that your dress is finally ready." Dis said with a proud smile as she stood back and looked upon Anira. "Shall I go see where Thorin's preparations are? If he is ready, you may yet get to be married today." She said with a bright smile.

"I would like that, very much, Dis." Anira said sweetly as she stepped down from her stool and then sat down upon it. "I will wait here and try not to ruin my dress between now and when you come back." Anira teased.

"Oh, I bet you think you are funny." Dis said, crinkling her nose. "Don't you ruin that dress!" She warned sternly, with a playful smile before she turned and quickly left her room. Dis hurried down the long corridors and many stair cases, humming to herself happily until she arrived in the banquet hall. She smiled and walked over to Thorin, standing beside him. He did not seem to notice her, so she decided to tease him a little.

"Looks like you are almost done with your arrangements." She said with a small smile.

"That I am. I hope my sister manages to finish my brides dress before the end of the day. I would much like for our celebrations to start today."

"Yeah… About that dress…" Dis said with a small sigh. "It probably is not going to be done with another month. I just can not seem to get it to look right on her. I promise it is going to be-"

"Wait, another month!" Thorin said in shock as he turned and stared at his sister. "What on earth are you talking about? I can not see my wife for another month?"

"Thorin." Dis said with a laugh as she put an arm over his shoulder and kissed his cheek tenderly. "Her dress is ready. I just wanted to see your reaction."

"You are not funny." He said lowly, unable to stop the smile from crossing his face.

"When should I bring her down to the ritual hall?" Dis asked gently as she leaned against her brother. He sighed and placed a hand on hers and looked around, trying to see how much longer he thought it was going to take.

"Lets see…" He said softly. "I think that in about two hours, I should finally be ready. Thingol has even offered to officiate our ceremony. I thought that to be rather big of him, seeing as he was the one who was most opposed to this union." He said with a small laugh.

"That is big of him. I am glad he is willing to put his own biases aside and accept her as one of our own. I just hope that more of our people are also capable of that. I would hate for people to mistreat her here." Dis said gently.

"You say that as thought I would let people mistreat her here." Thorin said with a small laugh as he looked at his sister. "Go keep my blushing bride company. I will be ready within the next couple of hours. I will send someone for you when we are finally ready."

"You should think about bathing first, and putting on nicer clothes." Dis suggested with a playful smile. "You smell like dirt and your clothes are stained and disgusting." She stated frankly.

"Fine.. Fine…" He said reluctantly as he turned and walked with her, leaving the banquet hall. "I will go prepare myself. I think that Fili and Kili can keep an eye on the arrangements down here."

"Are you sure about that?" Dis asked with a laugh.

"No. I'm not, but I am going to trust them regardless." He said gently before squeezing her hand. He let go of her and began walking up the flights of stairs that lead to his bedroom.

Dis went back to Anira and they talked for the remaining time. Dis did her best to calm Anira, who was obviously nervous now. She did her best, but could not help but to laugh. She remembered when she was that excited about her own marriage, all of those years ago. The happiness that surrounded her made her miss her husband, and made her more thankful for the two, wonderful sons she had been graced with. Fili and Kili were so much like their father. That was really the only thing keeping her going after all of these years.

"Dis, I feel like I am going to be sick." Anira whined nervously, crossing her arms over her stomach, rocking back and forth.

"Why? You are already married to him? What is different about it now?" Dis asked tenderly.

"There are going to be other people now! When we married with Ratagast, it was right outside of his little shack in the woods. Only Thorin and I were there. There was no real ritual or right. He bonded us only after hearing our love. That was enough for him. I am so afraid that I will do something wrong, or that I will do something that makes your people look down upon me. I do not want to shame Thorin just because I am uneducated in the ways of dwarves." She protested quietly.

"Calm yourself, Anira." Dis snapped sharply. "My brother loves you. That is all that matters. Stop your fussing."

"You are right…" Anira whispered quietly as she looked down at the floor. She decided that she should just stop talking. Dis was growing short with her, and Anira could not blame her for her feelings. She was being rather hard to live with.

There was a knock on the door then and Anira felt her stomach doing flips within her body.

"Yes?" Dis called gently before she stood up and walked to the door. She opened the door and smiled when she saw Fili and Kili.

"Thorin is finally ready." Kili said excitedly as he tried to see passed his mother. He wanted to see how Anira looked in her dress.

"Stop your peaking." Dis said tenderly as she pushed Kili back. "You get to walk her down the isle, having an absence of a father figure. Do not mess this up." She warned with a playful smile. Kili smiled brightly and nodded in agreement. Dis stepped aside and let the boys walk into the room. Anira stood up nervously, wringing her hands together nervously so that she would not twist the sleeves of her dress. She did not want to go to her wedding with wrinkled sleeves.

"Anira… You look absolutely stunning." Kili said with a soft tone, scanning her body for a moment before finally looking at her face.

"You are lucky Thorin isn't here." Fili whispered, elbowing his brother in the ribs playfully. "He would have put you in a head lock again."

"You need to watch your wandering eyes, Kili." Dis said with a tender smile before kissing her son upon the cheek. "She's your aunt, so your crush on her is a little bit disturbing." she teased.

Kili went bright red, but did not say a word after that. He walked to Anira and politely offered his arm to her again. She stood up and smiled, grabbing his arm gently. He walked swiftly, actually making it rather hard for her to keep up with him. She was so nervous, she could feel her heart within her throat as they walked. There were lights and beautiful arrangements of candles and flowers all over the mountain.

"He really outdid himself. Everything looks amazing." Anira said gently before the smell of food filled her nose and made her stomach growl. "It even smells amazing."

"It has been over twenty years since anyone has had a real wedding ceremony here." Kili said gently as he looked over at her. "Thorin wanted to make sure that absolutely everything was perfect. After all, what better way to start our lives over, than with a beautiful wedding?"

"I did not realize this meant so much to all of you." She said quietly.

"The only reason he is going through with this ceremony is for his people. He doesn't think it necessary, since you are already married by wizard law." He said with a playful smile.

He slowed to a stop as the stood before the large, wooden doors that lead to the ritual room.

"Are you ready?" Kili asked gently.

"As ready as I am going to be." Anira responded quietly before Kili reached out and pushed the doors open. The room was large and long, beautifully lit with torches and smelled like flowers. At the end of the long isle, stood Thorin. He wore bright blue, royal robes that looked clean and new. His hair was brushed and his beard was trimmed. He looked absolutely perfect and she could not believe that this man was hers.

Thorin smiled brightly when he saw her walking towards him. The dress that Dis had made for her was truly spectacular. It hugged her form, but did not make her look sickly thin or disproportioned. It was absolutely perfect, flowing around her ankles as she walked. Without any decoration in her hair or make up on her face, her beauty dimmed the brightness of the sun. He felt as though he was the luckiest man in all of Middle-Earth.

The marriage ritual itself was very short and sweet. Thingol, head of The Council, officiated their wedding. He had a bright smile on his face the whole time. For someone who was so against their union, he seemed to be positively tickled pink to officiate their bond. The ceremony was short and sweet. Anira was thankful that she did not have to remember any vows. She simply had to repeat Thingol and do as he instructed her. Thorin did the same and at the end, they stood, facing one another, hand in hand. Thingol closed his book and smiled, telling them that they could kiss to seal their bond. Anira was skeptical, but Thorin did not hesitate. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her down to his level as he locked his lips on hers. She trembled and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him lovingly. She could hear all of the people who had witnessed their bond, cheering in their background.

The marriage ritual itself was not the best part, or the highlight of their celebration. The celebration that engulfed them then lasted a full seven days. There was nothing but good song, good food, love and cheer that surrounded everyone. All of the dwarves would congratulate Thorin and Anira. She was surprised at how many of them came bearing gifts. How did they all manage to pull together these nice things within only a manner of days since her arrival. She did not question it. She thanked them all, kissing them upon their foreheads or hugging them tenderly.

She was fairly disappointed, however, at the fact that no matter how much ale or wine she drank, she did not fall into the drunken stupor of everyone else. Thorin, on the other hand, did. There were several occasions where she found him, laying upon the floor, smoking his pipe and talking with other dwarves who were also laying upon the floor. When asked why he was down there, his response was simply that it was the only way the room stopped spinning. There were other times, where she had found him, dancing upon the large tables, drinking and singing dwarfish songs with friends, and his nephews.

Though she enjoyed the celebration, Anira felt like an outsider at her own wedding. She sat, talking with some of the women who had stayed sober. Most of them were either holding children, or were bearing children. They all had good conversation, most of which was giving her advice on how to make her first pregnancy easier. After all, Thorin was supposed to be a king. He would need an heir before he passed to the next life. The idea of having a child still frightened her some. They had only been together for a little over a month, now. She did not want to think about having children, not yet. They had at least a few more years until she would have to decide what to do.

Days passed this way, with Thorin drinking until he could not stand and Anira watching, laughing at him as he did so. Despite how out of place she felt, she had an eerie sense of feeling as though she had finally found her home. No one gave her dirty looks now or treated her poorly or differently. Everyone had been absolutely kind to her and approved of her marriage to Thorin. There were even a few women who expressed how envious they were that he had married. Anira had never realized just how desired Thorin was amongst his own people. But then again, he was a king. What did she really expect?

"Anira." Thorin called as he stumbled towards him, a mug of ale in his right hand. He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. She laughed and stood, holding him up.

"You are drunk." She said with a small smile, kissing him on his forehead.

"You are beautiful." He said, slightly slurring his words as he looked up at her. Anira rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"I am just thinking that we never danced after we married." He said with a smile as he set his mug down on the near by table. "I think that you should dance with me before we disappear from this party."

"Oh, really? I'm not disappearing anywhere with you until you are sober." She teased gently. He frowned at her statement but seemed to ignore her as he placed a hand on her waist and took her free hand with his own.

"I am sober enough." He protested gently as he began moving with her. Even in his drunken state, he was a rather impressive dancer. It was like no dance she had ever seen, but those around them began clapping their hands and singing to help cheer them along.

"If you say so." She laughed playfully as she began dancing with him, swaying with the song and losing herself within the sound of the music and the clapping. Thorin could not help but smile as she began dancing on her own. He released her and just watched her. He could not believe how fluid her motions were and how naturally dancing came to her. All eyes were on her, but she did not seem to notice it. One by one, others began joining her, dancing around her. Few stayed to the outside of the circle of dance, still singing their song and keeping time with their hands.

Thorin interrupted her dancing after almost an hour. He grabbed her hand and lead her through the crowd skillfully. He could not contain his desire for her any longer. Now that his alcohol was wearing off, it was getting harder and harder to hide. Anira giggled and followed after him, placing her hand upon his shoulder as she followed him out of the banquet hall and up the stairs, leading towards his bedroom. She could not help but smile at how eager he seemed now. He was practically running up the stairs and she thought he would be exhausted before they even reached his bedroom. She never would have thought him to have this much energy. She followed him, running up the stairs behind him until they reached his room. He threw his door open and pushed her inside, shutting the door behind himself. He grabbed her by her shoulders and kissed her, roughly, his teeth clashing with hers as he slid his tongue between her lips. He tasted strongly of alcohol, but it did not bother her.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly and held him close, twining her fingers in his hair as she kissed him. She could feel his hands behind her, unlacing her dress. She was surprised at how skillful he was, even when intoxicated.

"Thorin, slow down." Anira whispered between kisses as she pushed him away slightly, laughing tenderly. "We have time. Everyone else is busy and distracted. Why do you rush so?"

"Because." Thorin said sternly, grabbing her hand and placing it on his hardened manhood. "It is throbbing for you…" He whispered before kissing her again, grabbing her dress by the shoulders and sliding it down her body. She pulled back from him and laughed as she hurried over to the bed, sitting down on the edge.

"I am still above making love on the floor. Come here." She said sweetly as she continued to slid her dress down her body. He growled playfully before hurrying over to her, kissing her roughly again. She could feel her lip start to bleed as his teeth hit hers. She groaned and broke the kiss.

"What?" He whispered impatiently as he tried to kiss her again. She scooted back upon the bed, making him get onto the bed to follow her. She smiled and took her chance, she pinned him down on the bed, kissing him deeply as she undid his belt, removing it from him. He groaned, rocking his hips against her touch as she touched him. She took his belt and tied it around his wrists before then tying his wrists to the headboard of the bed frame.

"I think this will be much better." She said tenderly as she got up on her knees and continued to slide her dress down her body. He groaned beneath her and flexed his hands against his belt. He could not believe how tight her knot was. It was actually quite impressive. He was not going to get out of this very easily. She had used a dwarfish design to restrain him. He was impressed, and frustrated. He wanted nothing more than to lift his hands and cup her supple breasts, or hold her hips so that he could thrust himself into her again, but he was completely at her mercy now. He liked the excitement of not being in control.

"What on earth are you doing?" He asked with a small chuckle as he looked up at her.

"I am going to make sure you remember this night." She said sternly as she tugged his trousers down. She reached down and gripped his hard manhood firmly, causing him to groan and shift beneath her. She smiled and lifted her dress up to her waist. She lined up his manhood with her womanhood and dropped herself down upon him. She gasped and cried out softly in pleasure as she began to move up and down, placing her hands on his chest as she felt him go in and out of her. She could hardly believe that it had hurt so much the night before. She was not even sore now and only volts of pleasure coursed through her limbs.

"I will remember every night with you." He said between moans, bucking his hips up into her, causing her to let out small, indignant squeaks. He wanted nothing more than to sit up and take control of her, make her moan, make her scream. He wanted everyone in the whole mountain to know that she was his. He struggled harder against the bonds, but could not break himself free. Her knot really was quite impressive. He could feel the fabric burns forming on his wrists, but he was actually enjoying this.

"You had better." She whispered before she leaned down, kissing him tenderly as she continued to move on him. Harder and faster as the night drug on, until they were both shivering from cold sweat and nearly exhausted from the effort of their love making. She could feel that he was close, that he was going to finish, and she stopped. She pulled herself off of him and sat up on her knees. His eyes went wide as he stared up at her, completely sober now.

"What are you doing? Don't stop." He groaned indignantly as he watched her.

"I don't know if I want to continue." She said sweetly as she kissed his cheek.

"You are a cruel, unusual woman." He growled, leaning up to bite her ear. "Continue, now, please."

"No. Not until you ask me nicely."

"Ask… Ask you nicely?" He groaned as he laid his head back upon his pillow. "Please, please continue."

"I don't know if that is nice enough."

"Anira, what in Durin's name is wrong with you!" He groaned then before closing his eyes tightly. He was about to attempt to be nice, again, when he felt himself enter her. He groaned, unable to control his own orgasm as his seed released itself inside of her. His body jolted a little before relaxing back against the bed. He still flexed his hands against his belt.

Anira giggled slightly, trembling as she felt his seed inside of her. She leaned down and kissed him tenderly.

The next morning was one of thee most difficult mornings that Thorin could remember. His body was exhausted, he felt sick, his head was throbbing. He sat up and held his head, trying to suppress his desire to vomit or go back to bed. He looked over and could not help but smile. Anira was asleep beside him, haphazardly covered with blankets. Even now, when he felt absolutely miserable, just looking at her gave him a sense of joy and happiness. He stood up and went into his bathroom. He was going to try to bathe the smell of alcohol off of himself. He hoped that it would make him feel better. He filled the tub and entered it, hardly remembering to remove all of this clothes first. After a long while of relaxing, he was starting to feel better. He looked down at his wrists and he laughed before rubbing them. He vaguely remembered being tied up, but the rope burns were definitely proof of it.

When he redressed and left the bathroom, he was pleased so see that Anira was awake and dressed, brushing her hair in front of the mirror.

"How are you feeling?" She asked gently. "You drank an awful lot the last few days."

"I feel." He said with a small groan as he walked up behind her, kissing her shoulders again tenderly. "Like I was hit with a tree branch. Repeatedly." He laughed.

"Well, perhaps in the future you won't drink so heavily. Well, at least for not seven days straight." She laughed.

"I suppose we should go downstairs and see what we can help clean up. Seeing as it was our wedding that caused such a mess." He said gently.

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." She said with a tender smile before turning around and kissing him. "Are you ready to go?"

"That I am." He said tenderly before he took her hand and lead her out of his bedroom again. They walked down the flights of stairs, having small conversation about different events that happened during their wedding. From Kili dancing like a woman, to Dis punching a drunk dwarf for touching her. As they got closer to the banquet hall, they were completely surprised at how clean everything was. Nothing smelled disgusting or like alcohol. Once they entered the hall, they realized that everything was already completely clean.

"Is… This a normal thing?" She asked him nervously.

"Not that I am aware of. Ah, Kili!" Thorin said loudly as he saw his nephew. "What in Durin's name is going on here?" He asked.

"Oh, Hello, Uncle!" Kili said with a bright smile as he walked towards them. "Oh, this? People have been cleaning since last night. As soon as people realized you two were no longer here, they started cleaning." He said with a smile.

"That was very kind, but I feel guilty for not cleaning up after our party." Anira said with a tender smile.

"Do not fret." Kili said with a small laugh. "We were all more than eager to help. This was the happiest and most united we have been as a whole since Erebor fell." He said before his eyes fell upon Thorin's wrist. "Uncle, what happened? Why do you have burns?"

"Kili, Lad." Thorin said with a small smile before placing a hand on the boys shoulder. "When you have a good wife, you will understand." He said before winking slightly. Kili had an awkward, worried look on his face as he looked back and forth between Thorin and Anira. He decided it was best not to question them. He only turned, without another word, and went back to what he was doing.


End file.
